LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
The Cronulla Sharks have announced their expectations regarding the return of KL Iro and his replacement, Mawene Hiroti.
Iro, who suffered a ruptured pectoral muscle during Round 14 against the New Zealand Warriors, was initially reported to be sidelined for up to three months.
This has now been confirmed by the Sharks in a medical update, which stated that he underwent successful surgery.
Iro's recovery timeline remains at about three months.
Although the final round of the regular season is approaching in less than three months, the Sharks are maintaining optimism for a better-than-worst-case scenario concerning Iro's return.
Iro has been a standout player, widely recognized as a "try-scoring machine" throughout the 2025 season.
If he can recover on schedule and pass fitness tests, he could rejoin Craig Fitzgibbon's squad just in time for a critical push towards the top eight in the league.
Meanwhile, Hiroti is also facing a spell on the sidelines, further impacting the Sharks' backline depth as they navigate the remaining rounds of the regular season.