The Cronulla Sharks are optimistic that centre KL Iro will be sidelined for just a week following a knee laceration that has ruled him out of the upcoming match against the Manly Sea Eagles.
Iro's late withdrawal from the squad occurred when the team trimmed their roster to 20 players on Thursday evening, just one day before their Round 13 face-off with Manly.
Details have emerged indicating that Iro suffers from a 'knee laceration', but fortunately, the injury does not appear to be serious and has no additional complications, leading the club to anticipate his return in just one week.
This timeline suggests that the talented centre, who ranks among Cronulla's most effective attacking assets, should be ready to compete in next weekend's local derby against the St George Illawarra Dragons at home.
Iro has made a remarkable impact this season, scoring nine tries in just ten games, including back-to-back hat-tricks during Rounds 8 and 9 against the Cowboys and Tigers. He will be replaced in the lineup by Mawene Hiroti, who has gained valuable playing time this season due to other injuries within the team's back five.
This will be Hiroti's final year with the Sharks before he joins former Cronulla assistant coach Josh Hannay at the Gold Coast Titans next season.
In more positive news for the black, white, and blue, Blayke Brailey and Addin Fonua-Blake are anticipated to return from Origin duty, while Briton Nikora will take a breather.
Billy Burns is set to take Nikora's spot in the second row, with Jayden Berrell added to the bench and Riley Jones remaining as the 20th man for Craig Fitzgibbon's squad.
Brailey played a crucial role in the final 30 minutes against Queensland, contributing significantly to a thrilling comeback victory, while Fonua-Blake had key moments at both the beginning and end of the match. Nikora made a notable debut in the second half for the Maroons.