Brisbane Heat have locked in six of their core group ahead of BBL|07, with Joe Burns, Jimmy Peirson, Mitchell Swepson, Sam Heazlett, Mark Steketee and Marnus Labuschagne all putting their signatures to multi-year deals with the KFC Big Bash franchise.

All six players are locally developed talent, having come through the Queensland Cricket pathways system and remain one-club players.

Heat coach Dan Vettori was enthused by the recruitment of the sextet, and believes it points toward a promising future at the club.

Swepson puts Stars in a spin

"We feel we are building something special with the current crop of players we have at the Brisbane Heat, and by re-signing Joe, Jimmy, Mitch, Mark, Sam and Marnus it gives our squad stability for the next few Big Bash League seasons," Vettori said.

"The nature of modern-day T20 cricket means there will constantly be player turnover from season to season, however if we can continue to keep our locally-based players together, then it will help develop the values and culture we are building at the club.

"It is fantastic we can reward someone like Joe Burns who was a key member of the Heat side that won the competition in BBL|02, while we also continue to invest in young talent like Sam Heazlett and Mitchell Swepson who have been recognised as international players."

Burns takes Hilfenhaus to the cleaners

With five positions still to be filled on the Heat's BBL|07 roster, Vettori and fellow Heat coach Shane Bond will look to finalise the club's squad and preparations for the coming summer when they are in Australia for the JLT One-Day Cup later this month.

In August, the club secured the signature of Pakistani teenage leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who joins Brendon McCullum as an international player for BBL|07.

McCullum and fellow 'Bash Brother' Chris Lynn are both racing the clock to be fit for the tournament, with the New Zealander expected to be available from game one on December 20, having undergone surgery on his injured arm.

QUICK SINGLE Afghan star set for a Big Bash splash

Lynn has also had surgery on his troublesome right shoulder and is currently on the rehab path.

The expanded 2017-18 BBL season will see the Heat play 10 fixtures (five home, five away), with the club's opening match against Melbourne Stars at the Gabba on Wednesday, December 20.

A limited number of club memberships are still available, while tickets for this are on sale from Monday, October 16.

Heat re-signings: Fast Facts

Joe Burns

- New three-year contract

- 33 games for the Heat, 742 runs

- 2nd highest run-scorer in Heat history

- Stand-in captain during BBL|06

Jimmy Peirson

- Three-year contract extension

- 25 Brisbane Heat games, 422 runs plus 17 dismissals

Mitchell Swepson

- Three-year contract extension

- 11 Brisbane Heat games, 16 wickets

- Australian Test tourist to India and Bangladesh

Mark Steketee

- Three-year contract extension

- 22 Brisbane Heat games, 27 wickets

- 3rd most wickets in Heat history

Sam Heazlett

- Three-year contract extension

- 7 Brisbane Heat games, strike-rate of 137

- Made his Australian ODI debut vs NZ in February

Marnus Labuschagne

- Three-year contract extension

- 3 Brisbane Heat games

- Middle order batsman and leg-spinner

- 2016 Domestic One-Day Cup Player of the Year

Brisbane Heat BBL|07 Squad: Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Jason Floros, Sam Heazlett, Shadab Khan (international), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Lalor, Chris Lynn, Brendon McCullum (international, captain), Jimmy Peirson, Alex Ross, Mitchell Swepson, Mark Steketee