The Cronulla Sharks have confirmed the contract extension of talented 23-year-old outside back Mawene Hiroti on a one-year deal that locks in his fourth season in the Shire.
Hiroti joined the Sharks at the end of 2019 after struggling for regular NRL opportunities at South Sydney, despite reports he was offered an extension in Redfern prior to his departure.
He made a career-high 14 NRL appearances for the black, white and blue in 2021 after injuries struck the NRL squad, and was a vital component of feeder club Newtown's charge to the NSW Cup minor premiership in 2022.
He made 15 appearances for the Jets this year, scoring six tries, setting up seven and breaking 54 tackles on his way to 122 metres per game, including a whopping 232 metres in a dominant display against eventual grand finalists Canterbury in the season's penultimate round.
Hiroti joins an number of Jets players including Kade Dykes, Kayal Iro and Tom Hazelton in reaping the rewards of a strong NSW Cup season. All players have all been offered extensions and committed their future to the Sharks, maintaining a high level of depth and stability under Craig Fitzgibbon.
As well as wing and centre, Hiroti can also play the fullback role and is a proven goal-kicker. He is also a former Australian Schoolboys and New Zealand under-18s representative.