Kayal Iro has exclusively disclosed how close he came to leaving the Shire last season in search of fresh chances. He has also given an update on his future, since he is still without a contract for the upcoming season.
Iro has been a standout player in the NSW Cup for the past three years. Craig Fitzgibbon eventually gave him a regular berth in the Cronulla Sharks’ backline this season, and he hasn’t made a mistake in his last eight games since Round 4.
Iro has helped lead the team to the top of the NRL table with nine victories and two losses, one of which came from last week’s encounter against the Penrith Panthers. Iro regularly plays in the centres alongside winger Ronaldo Mulitalo.
Iro’s name may be on the Sharks roster, and fans will no doubt be happy to see him there, but the Cook Islands international was only a few seconds away from signing a Super League contract with the Castleford Tigers.
Iro chose to wait it out in the NSW Cup with the Cronulla Sharks’ feeder team, Newtown Jets, rather than switching teams in search of better possibilities. There, he won two NSW Cup Centre of the Year awards and the NSW Cup Player of the Season title in 2022.
“There’s always that thought there, but at the same time, I wanted to stay at this club, and obviously, I want to be there,” Iro stated to Zero Tackle.
“I’m a driven individual, so when I set my sights on anything, I want to work hard to get it. I’m content to be here right now.”
