Jess Jonassen will miss the entire season of WBBL 2026-27 for Brisbane Heat as she has been battling a hip complaint and the medical advice she has been given is to miss the season to return in the new year. Heat are now in negotiations to replace her with an international player who they are expected to announce before their opening game on Friday.

"Last year I was managing a shoulder injury and tried to play through until it got too much for me and was having an effect on both my own and the team's performances, as well as my mental health,'' Jonassen said. "We considered whether playing through injury was available again, but the advice was to have this period of recovery now, so I can be available of the rest of the season.

"The plan is to be back training in December and be ready to play again in our next WNCL fixture."

Jonassen, the second-most capped player in WBBL history, last played a WNCL fixture for Queensland at the start of the month and their next game is on January 4. That leg of the tournament will, however, clash with the WPL in India where Jonassen is expected to fetch big money in the auction on October 28.

"We're obviously pretty devastated for JJ,'' Heat coach Mark Sorell said. "She has a good attitude to these sorts of things and naturally we'll wrap our arms around her this week as we get ready to play."

"We'll lean into her experience around the group while she recovers and it will be a good chance for us to work with her around our match day planning."

Heat had earlier announced their final squad signing on Monday with pace bowler Catherine White confirmed. Their first game is a home fixture against Sydney Sixers on October 30.

Jonassen has played the WBBL for Heat through her career, from 2015-16 to 2025-26. She has turned out in 153 games, taking 184 wickets, the most in Big Bash for a team, for men or women.