General Ropo Back

[OMG]

Vodafone Warriors centre Jerome Ropati will make his full comeback from another major knee operation when he lines up for the Auckland Vulcans in their fourth-round New South Wales Cup match against Windsor at Mount Smart Stadium today (1.35pm kick-off).
The 138-game veteran, eyeing his 11th season in the NRL, had his 2012 campaign ended by a knee injury in May having made just eight appearances.
After working his way back during the offseason, Ropati made his first steps towards a full return in the Vodafone Warriors’ trial win against Brisbane in Dunedin on February 23.
He still had some concerns with his left knee following the trial but will today begin his way back into contention for a return to NRL football.
He has been called into the centres for the Vulcans with Atelea Nafetalai moving to the wing.
Ropati also missed all but three games of the 2011 season when he needed knee surgery after rupturing the ACL in his left knee.
Gates open at 1.30pm for today’s tripleheader with the Vulcans’ match followed by the NYC game between the Vodafone Junior Warriors and North Queensland (3.45pm) and the Vodafone Warriors-Cowboys NRL contest (6.00pm).
After beating Newtown in their first home game of the season in the second round, the Vulcans fell to Newcastle on their demanding away trip last weekend.
Apart from Ropati’s return, they’ve received a boost for today’s clash with ex-Penrith halfback Harry Siejka returning after missing last week’s match with concussion.
Also coming back from injury is former Vodafone Junior Warriors prop Nathaniel Peteru, who played in the Vodafone Warriors’ NRL trial against Gold Coast in February but dislocated his elbow in a Vulcans trial a week later.
On the flip side, the Vulcans have suffered two setbacks with second rower Dominique Peyroux (jaw) and hooker Alehana Mara (ankle) both out of contention.
In Mara’s absence, Siliva Havili, still eligible to play for the Vodafone Junior Warriors in the NYC, will start at hooker while Steve Waetford partners Siejka in the halves.
Named to start at halfback for Windsor, Penrith’s feeder club, is former Vodafone Warrior Isaac John, recently signed by the Panthers after a stint with Wakefield in the English Super League. Included on the bench is ex-Vodafone Junior Warrior Neccrom Areaiiti while former Kiwi captain Gary Freeman’s son Krys is named to start at hooker.
AUCKLAND VULCANS v WINDSOR WOLVES
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
1.35pm, Monday, April 1
Referee: Jamal Thompson
AUCKLAND VULCANS
1 ZORAM WATENE
4 ATELEA NAFETALAI
3 SIO SIUA TAUKEIAHO
19 JEROME ROPATI
5 TANGI ROPATI
6 STEVE WAETFORD
7 HARRY SIEJKA
8 SUAIA MATAGI
9 SILIVA HAVILI
10 DANIEL PALAVI
11 JOHN PALAVI
12 AGNATIUS PAASI
13 MURRAY ITI
Interchange:
14 AARON NOOTAI
15 NATHANIEL PETERU
16 PATRICK SIPLEY
17 HERMAN RETZLAFF
HEAD COACH: WILLIE SWANN
https://www.thewarriors.com.au/news-display/NSW CUP PREVIEW Ropati for Vulcans/71270

Just about kick off

 

[eX | Machina]

He's in the Vulcans, crisis averted!

 

[Fazz]

Blergh. Oh well, when he replaces Hurrell next week, maybe he'll at least have the guts to demand Captain Handbrake actually passes the ball. Also, his D can't be much worse than Hurrell's haha. Some time in the Vulcans will do Hurrell good.

 

[mt.wellington]

Congrats to the comeback kid!

Hopefully this will be enough for Hurrell to step up today and really play a blinder...

 

[OMG]

Ropo had a very solid game, he was good,
Harry went from very unimpressive to super impressive very fast, the way he was leading and controlling that team after the clumsy miss that put the Wolves ahead was too impressive, he stood up and put them back in the game when it looked like they were about to fall to pieces. Fantastic ball to Ropati and sensational try, The last 25 of this game Harry looked all class, showed real leadership when they had none. Beautiful kick from the sideline too.
some shocking refereeing, shocking. Penalised for not putting the ball in the scrum FFS

Havili is a bit greedy and holds the ball too long, it is good every now and then but not every play..
Matangi was very good too.
Palavi's were solid MEH the rest

 

[wallacenz]

Ropo had a very solid game, he was good,
Harry went from very unimpressive to super impressive very fast, the way he was leading and controlling that team after the clumsy miss that put the Wolves ahead was too impressive, he stood up and put them back in the game when it looked like they were about to fall to pieces. Fantastic ball to Ropati and sensational try, The last 25 of this game Harry looked all class, showed real leadership when they had none. Beautiful kick from the sideline too.
some shocking refereeing, shocking. Penalised for not putting the ball in the scrum FFS

Havili is a bit greedy and holds the ball too long, it is good every now and then but not every play..
Matangi was very good too.
Palavi's were solid MEH the rest

I saw Havili play for the first time a couple of weeks ago and thought he was a prop at first. When I turned the game on he was constantly taking the ball to the line.

 

[OMG]

I saw Havili play for the first time a couple of weeks ago and thought he was a prop at first. When I turned the game on he was constantly taking the ball to the line.

Yea it got ridiculous, he needs to learn to give straight away and the few times he did they were awful, no coincidence he went off and Harry started getting a lot more cleaner ball IMO, when he came back on the attacking structure was disjointed again.

 

[Xfactor]

Jerome did admit to being way off the fitness level, but was happy with everything else he did.

Unless Konrad has his worst game yet today, Jro will spend another week or three in NSW cup.

 

[facefacts]

Jerome did admit to being way off the fitness level, but was happy with everything else he did.

Unless Konrad has his worst game yet today, Jro will spend another week or three in NSW cup.

You could see the flashes of class from Ropati, even at 3/4 pace....if he stays injury free, he will be a walk up starter into the current NRL side in a month or so. A good first up performance.

 

[Ref]

some shocking refereeing, shocking. Penalised for not putting the ball in the scrum FFS

But did you see the make up call shortly after by the touch judge, a way more experienced local referee than the man in the middle

 

[gREVUS]

You could see the flashes of class from Ropati, even at 3/4 pace....if he stays injury free, he will be a walk up starter into the current NRL side in a month or so. A good first up performance.

I guess the question is can he move from 3/4 to full and beyond cause he was looking pretty slow.

His kicking and hand skills looked solid and he powered through some good tackle efforts, but didn't look as good tackling as he did running.

and I think they got the Vulcans back on the book for the rabitos game so will be good to watch again, so much better than watching the under 20s

 

[OMG]

I guess the question is can he move from 3/4 to full and beyond cause he was looking pretty slow.

His kicking and hand skills looked solid and he powered through some good tackle efforts, but didn't look as good tackling as he did running.

and I think they got the Vulcans back on the book for the rabitos game so will be good to watch again, so much better than watching the under 20s

I'd love to see some stats on it, I thought his defence was pretty good, They looked like the u20s trying to use a power game to steamroll them, it worked for a while, say 10 minutes and they kept doing the same thing until Havili went off and then they looked like a real league team lol, using the football properly.
Havili is a bad Hooker IMO too greedy, too liable for forward passes, I don't want him near the top grade.

 

[Gizzyfan]

Ropo had a very solid game, he was good,
Harry went from very unimpressive to super impressive very fast, the way he was leading and controlling that team after the clumsy miss that put the Wolves ahead was too impressive, he stood up and put them back in the game when it looked like they were about to fall to pieces. Fantastic ball to Ropati and sensational try, The last 25 of this game Harry looked all class, showed real leadership when they had none. Beautiful kick from the sideline too.
some shocking refereeing, shocking. Penalised for not putting the ball in the scrum FFS

Havili is a bit greedy and holds the ball too long, it is good every now and then but not every play..
Matangi was very good too.
Palavi's were solid MEH the rest

I thought the standoff Waetford was a good well balanced player as well.

 

[OMG]

I thought the standoff Waetford was a good well balanced player as well.

It was a typical Waetford game, he doesn't go badly but there isn't much more he offers.

 

[Gizzyfan]

It was a typical Waetford game, he doesn't go badly but there isn't much more he offers.

One of those whole hearted players, but a bit limited. Whole hearted trier though, good on him.