BREAKING NEWS
New Zealand Warriors 5/8 and Kiwi champion, Jerome Ropati, has been granted a discharge on his contract with the club (effective immediately) and is flying out of Auckland tonight for the North Queensland town of Townsville.
Ropatis agent has spent the week in discussion with the North Queensland Cowboys and an undisclosed (7 figure) contract has been agreed upon.
Queensland Cowboys CEO Cliff (Ride 'em) Hereford is quoted as saying " The club now has it's superstar 5/8th. We covered the position for the last couple of seasons with that ex-dog hack Thurston, but now we have finally found our champion".
Reports from our man in Auckland say their is a silent vigil outside the Warrior's Beasley Ave HQ by a tall man wearing a Swandri and gumboots holding a "please dont go JRo" placard and weeping uncontrollably.
Qld's gain is certainly NZ's loss.