Rop carrying on name

By MELTON PAIS
JUNIOR Rop’s aspiration to follow the footsteps of his late father Isaac in rugby league has boosted his enthusiasm from day one when he first toyed with an oval ball to the present.
His father, who passed away in late 2014, was a prop for Mt Hagen Eagles back in the early 1980s.
He had one time worn the red, black and gold representing the country in rugby league and young Junior’s aim is to wear the same Kumul jersey number that his father wore when he was not even born yet.
Rop, who is now 23-years-old stands at 180cm and weighs 100kg. He hails from Aglimp-South Waghi in Jiwaka but he calls himself a Western Highlander.
He was part of the Lae Snax Tigers team who won the 2016 Digicel Cup under the leadership of “super coach” Stanley Tepend, won the 2016 Digicel Cup trophy.
The Western Highlander was reckoned as an outstanding prop in the Tigers line-up.
Papua New Guinea SP Hunters coach Michael Marum’s call for Junior to join the 2017 train-on-squad early this year has proven that Junior’s tireless input and perseverance in Tigers camp had not gone unnoticed.
While at the Hunter’s training camp, Rop’s luck gets better and he is in the final squad in the absence of the outgoing props Timothy Lomai, Brandy Peter and Adam Korave.
Rop and his countrymen Moses Meninga , Henry Noki Ishmael Balkawa are some of the men coach Marum will rely upon in the forward pack to make an impact in the line breaks and hit ups.
Rop said for him to be part of the Hunters train-on squad and then successfully make it to the 29-man squad was his greatest achievement.
“If I am counted in as the final 25th member of the PNG SP Hunters in 2017 Queensland Intrust Super Cup, I am willing to offer what I have for the love of rugby league and my country,” he said.
Junior withdrew from his studies at Lae School of Nursing in 2016 while doing second year.
“Now, my new career is rugby league but if I face a serious injury while playing rugby, I will go back and continue my studies,” Rop said. “Like most young guys who play rugby who have higher aims in their careers, mine is to wear the number 8 or 10 Kumul jersey one day.”