KL Iro's passion for growing Cook Islands Rugby League

Cronulla centre KL Iro hopes the upcoming Rugby League World Cup can act as a springboard for young players in the Cook Islands, saying he wants to help create clearer pathways for emerging talent to reach the NRL.

The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks outside back is one of the few current NRL players who grew up in the Cook Islands before making his way into professional rugby league. It is a journey he says far too few young players from the islands have been able to follow.

While the NRL has long featured players with Cook Islands heritage, many have developed through systems in Australia or New Zealand rather than coming directly through junior rugby league on the islands themselves. Iro believes the issue is not a lack of ability, but a lack of opportunity.

“Everyone loves rugby league but it’s about the opportunities,” Iro told NRL.com.

“Kids get stuck there. The kids I grew up with, all the talented ones, they just never left the country and never got their chance.

“We’ve got to start building pathways and let the parents know they need to move the kids away at younger ages and make that sacrifice for them to fulfil their dreams.”

Like many of its Pacific neighbours, The Cook Islands hold a deep passion for rugby league, but the logistical challenges of developing elite athletes in a remote location can make it difficult for talented youngsters to be spotted by professional clubs.

Iro believes the visibility of international rugby league - particularly during a World Cup - can help bridge that gap by giving young players something tangible to aspire to. Seeing Cook Islands representatives competing on the global stage, he says, can spark belief among kids back home that a career in the NRL is achievable.

“It’s slowly changing but I’m hoping we can get more junior pathways,” he said.

“When they watch us Cook Islands boys playing in the World Cup, that gives them hope and they have a dream to be there as well.”

Iro is proud to represent the Cook Islands internationally and sees the World Cup as more than just a tournament. For him, it is also a chance to shine a spotlight on the talent that exists across the islands and to encourage stronger links between local competitions and professional rugby league systems.

He believes that if those connections can be strengthened - whether through scouting networks, academy programs or partnerships with clubs - more young players will have the chance to pursue careers at the highest level.

For Iro, the goal is simple: ensure the next generation of Cook Islands players have more opportunities than those who came before them. If the World Cup can help inspire that shift, he says, it could mark the beginning of a new chapter for rugby league in the island nation.

Hero image - Source: NRL.com