The Melbourne Storm are preparing to unveil their replacement for Nelson Asofa-Solomona this weekend.
This new addition is none other than Cooper Clarke, who has been named on the bench for the upcoming match against the Parramatta Eels this Thursday.
Clarke caught the attention of the Storm's coaching staff during his trials and is now set to make his NRL debut.
In a recent press conference, Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy shared details about Clarke's early weight, mentioning he reached 145kg during his time in the under-19s.
While his current weight is not disclosed, any figure above 125 kilograms would categorize him among the heaviest players, making him a solid replacement for Asofa-Solomona.
To enhance his performance, the formidable forward has slimmed down, aiming for better mobility and versatility to play both in the second row and in the front row.
"Cooper is only a young kid who will be making his debut," Bellamy stated.
"He has done well in the trials; he can play a little bit on the edge and can play through the middle, so he gives us a little bit of versatility there."
Bellamy also noted, "He is a kid that has worked hard for it as well. Just presenting his jumper, it was mentioned that when he first came into the under-19s, he was 145kg. That is a big boy."