 While living there, Pelo began playing junior rugby league, catching the eye of Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks scouts who signed him to the Sydney club for several years.While at the Sharks Pelo went on to represent the Australian Schoolboys team for whom he scored two tries in a Test match defeat against the England Academy in 2002, but he could not make his way into the Sharks first-grade side, instead being relegated to the reserves and lower competitions.During the 2005 season, Pelo was called up by French national team along with fellow clubman Daniel Dumas; during this time his contract with the Cronulla club expired and he left the club.