NRL Rd 17 - Broncos v Dragons
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 10: Delouise Hoeter of the Broncos is congratulated by team mates after scoring a try during the round 17 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the St George Illawarra Dragons at Suncorp Stadium, on July 10, 2022, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Brisbane Broncos back Delouise Hoeter was without doubt one of the more surprising NRL signings in recent years.

Linking up with the Broncos ahead of the 2022 season, the centre made his NRL debut in 2015 with the Wests Tigers, but didn't play a single game between the end of that campaign and linking up with the Broncos.

In between, he kept his name on the radar of NRL clubs with time in the QLD Cup, where he excelled.

Winning the final spot on Brisbane's roster for 2022 after time on a train and trial contract, he played his first game for the club against the Panthers in Round 6, and would go on to play another seven.

Scoring four tries in those games, the 28-year-old has now put pen to paper on a two-year extension with the Red Hill-based outfit to remain with the club until at least the end of 2024.

But one decision could have made it all so different.

Directly after making his club debut, AAP have revealed that Hoeter severely injured his shoulder playing for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the QLD Cup.

Requiring surgery and a five-month stint on the sideline, Hoeter went against doctors advice in an attempt to keep his NRL lifeline going.

"I was advised to have surgery, but I had only played one game against Penrith and I didn't want my season to end there," Hoeter told AAP.

"I just rehabbed it for three weeks and then played through it. Every player has some niggles or some sort of injury they play through, and sometimes we just have to get through it.

"I was still on a one-year deal and that was part of the reason why I didn't want to go for surgery. Five months (of recovery) would have probably ended at the end of the year.

"I thought it was the best thing for myself and my family to try and push through until the end of the season."

Hoeter has had surgery in the off-season and will now look to fight for regular first grade playing time behind a backline which features Corey Oates, Selwyn Cobbo, Kotoni Staggs and Herbie Farnworth.

Jordan Pereira, young guns Ethan Quai-Ward and Deine Mariner, as well as the returning Jesse Arthars after a year on loan at the Warriors will be the players fighting alongside Hoeter to serve as first back up to the back five in Kevin Walters' side, who are desperate to return to the finals after their 2022 capitulation.

Hoter confirmed that, even with his five-month recovery, he is hopeful of being fit in time for the trial matches during February.