Koopu called up for Brookie trip
Utility player Wairangi Koopu has replaced injured centre Jerome
Ropati for the Warriors’ third-round clash with Manly tomorrow
night.
Scans have confirmed 23-year-old Ropati has ankle ligament
damage which is expected to sideline him for three weeks.
Koopu was named as 18th man when the team was named on
Tuesday.
Former Melbourne centre Ryan Shortland, whose NRL debut was his
only match with the Storm last season, is the new reserve player
for the trip to Brookvale Oval.
Ropati lasted 68 minutes of Sunday’s 30-16 win over Parramatta
in Auckland before leaving the field.
Apart from the loss of Ropati, Cleary has retained the rest of
the squad which vanquished the Eels, with Lance Hohaia remaining at
fullback after an impressive effort last Sunday when called in as a
late replacement for injured rookie Aidan Kirk.
Koopu has not been able to add to his career tally of 153 NRL
appearances this season after being omitted from the squad for the
first two matches.
The loss of Ropati is a bitter blow for Cleary, who is without
his two most influential players in front-rower Steven Price
(hamstring) and fullback Wade McKinnon (knee) for six weeks and the
rest of the season respectively.
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Monday, April 7th, 2008 at 5:16 pm under