I watched the Dragons- Tigers game from the weekend last night. Got to say i was impressed by Mike Cooper's performance off the bench. Tackled well and made decent metres on each carry too. Didn't look out of place at all. He's been selected on the bench this weekend as well, so hopefully he can keep the standard up - or even improve.
The commentators mentioned the amount of work he was getting through as well.

Given all the excitement about Tomkins going over there (who it's fair to say had a mixed debut) it's good to see one of the lesser known UK players doing a job in the NRL too.

Cooper improved throughout last season to the point that it was a shame to see him go, after not caring when it was first announced

I thought he was one of the stronger props on the field. Carried really well. He'll come up against some tougher packs that that, but it was a good start

Was very impressed with him against Wests. He will go down well over there if he continues in that style. No nonsense North to South Prop. Puts himself about a bit and does the hard graft.

Was pleasantly surprised.

So a SL player who wasn't even guarenteed a first team start hasn't looked out of place in the "superior" competition, how strange ?

Always found him a hugely frustrating player. I liked him and wanted him to do well, and just when he looked like he was going to really get to a new level, you'd find in the next game he'd have a stinker. My two contrasting abiding memories of him are the other players patting him on the back and hair to gee him up after he'd knocked on yet again and then that play-off semi against Saints, when he was just brilliant. Best of luck to him

really glad to hear he's made a good, solid start.

Hope he goes really well...good advert for our club and our competition. One day we'll have him back as a better player (fingers crossed)

He's a very good player. Smith thinks a lot of him and really made a point of making him a regular in the 17 last year.

I dont have any doubts he'll go well in the NRL. If you look at his game it suits playing over there down to the ground. He's a quick prop, good footwork at the line and always wins the floor allowing him to get a quick PTB. His defence improved drastically last year too.

You don't need to put superior in quotes, it is superior. Wigan won the double in our inferior competition, but they wouldn't come close to winning the NRL. And I doubt Huddersfield would top their table.

Its a better competition so fair play to Cooper for wanting to go and test himself and take the risk and like Oxford Exile says we might get him back here as a better player for it.

Out of interest does anybody know the last Warrington Academy product that went over to the Aussie league and established himself?

Wish him all the best and hope he comes back a much better player, felt for the lad at times but he was so frustrating to watch when he kept dropping the ball.

Bobby Fulton? Pre academy.

All valid comments and i agree with all you have put down but i also see the point that Shinymcshine is trying to make in that, you don't have to be the absolute elite in our competition to make a go of it in the NRL like some would have you believe.I don't expect Cooper to be a standout but he should go well enough to earn a shirt week to week.I also believe there are many more who could from SL should they have the desire to make a go of it like Cooper clearly has.

How many games did Ian Sibbit play for Melbourne?

I read the player profile for Coops on the St George website and it actually says he is on 2 year development program and will return to warrington after the two years?
Wonder if he is still part of our salary cap in some way, like a retainer??

apparently Twenty