Central Coast Mariners boss Nick Montgomery is gutted to lose Kye Rowles to Hearts - but he knows it's only the next step on the defender's journey to the top.
A rising star within the Australian game, he won his first cap for the Socceroos in June and helped them on their way to booking a Qatar 2022 spot this winter. His stock is growing and Tynecastle will provide him his first crack at domestic European football after impressing in his native A-League under Montgomery.
His professional career started with Brisbane Roar in 2016 before joining Central Coast a year later and he went on to make 107 appearances for Mariners, helping them to the 2021 Australian FA Cup final. They lost 2-1 to Adelaide United but the centre-back was jointly awarded the Mark Viduka Medal for his man of the match performance. The Mariners Medal - a combination of fans, coaches and players’ votes for player of the year - was won in 2021.
