The 24-year-old lock will face up to the Sydney Roosters at the Gabba on Thursday night as a key member of a side that is second on the NRL ladder.
Just four years ago, Hetherington was playing third-tier footy for Valleys in Brisbane and considered taking a job in the central Queensland mines.
The forward is the son of former Queensland and Canterbury hooker Jason Hetherington, who encouraged the young Kobe to stick with his goal of playing NRL.
"It is what every country boy sort of does. If you don't make it in footy you go to the mines," Hetherington said.
"It has been a long journey. Right up until my debut it was a tough track.
"There were a few times where I wanted to go to the mines, but I'm glad I stuck with it.
"I've got my old boy to thank for getting me through all the tough times. I guess I took my opportunities as well.
"I dreamed of playing NRL but to get 50 games is something I am proud of."
Hetherington had a win on debut in 2021, also against the Roosters, but victories were few and far between during a season in which the Broncos finished 15th.
"It was tough (in 2021) but all of us boys stuck together and now we are building something special here," he said.
"We've just got to keep marching forward to the finals and hopefully get a few more wins."
Simple advice from his father has kept Hetherington junior on track.
"(The advice) was just to run hard and tackle hard, and if you can do that harder than the opposition then you should get over the top of them," he said.
Hetherington said his father leaves all the "football talk" these days to Broncos coach Kevin Walters.
"He has guided me off the field and helped me to make all the right choices," he said.
The Broncos trained at the Gabba on Monday, with prop Tom Flegler running freely as he prepares to return from a Lisfranc injury in his foot.
Flegler is set to replace suspended prop Martin Taupau, while Deine Mariner is slated to come in for the suspended Jesse Arthars on the wing.
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