STEVE Price confirmed Mike Cooper suffered a back injury on Friday morning that kept him out of the defeat to Salford Red Devils.

The prop underwent a fitness test and was then named in the Wire team, only to be pulled out shortly afterwards and replaced by Sitaleki Akauola.

It also handed Pat Moran a Super League debut from the bench but The Wire fell to a 22-12 defeat.

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With Chris Hill suspended, Warrington were missing both first-choice props and Price gave an update on Cooper's condition after the game.

He said he hopes to have Cooper and Ben Murdoch-Masila back for next Sunday's trip to Castleford Tigers.

"Mike’s back seized up this morning," he said.

"He’d been on the physio’s table all day and really wanted to get out there.

"He tried his best but he just wasn’t right.

"It’s one of those things that happens in our game but we still had a good team out there tonight.

"Ben Murdoch-Masila is getting very close.

"We should know more at the back end of the week whether he should be fit for Castleford."