But the likely unavailability of the pacy outside back has been tempered by promising flanker Hugh Blake getting over his elbow injury and back on to the field.
Popoali'i injured his hamstring in the first game of the ITM Cup, against Bay of Plenty, and was clearly still favouring it in the loss to Tasman on Friday night.
Otago coach Tony Brown said Popoali'i needed time away from the field to get right and he was likely to be off for up to two weeks. Popoali'i does not have a history with hamstring injuries, however, rest is often the only way for the injuries to come right.
Blake dislocated his elbow in a pre-season game about a month ago and was thought to be out for up to eight weeks.
But he played half a game for the Otago Development team in Invercargill on Saturday and will be available for the match this Saturday.
Loose forward Gareth Evans is over an ankle sprain and will also come into calculations.
Otago will be seeking to make improvements against Canterbury after a disappointing effort against Tasman in Nelson.
A poor second half led to Otago losing 49-16, after it was behind 20-13 at the break.
Otago had only five days to prepare for the game after an epic Ranfurly Shield defence against Hawkes Bay, but Brown said the limited preparation had little bearing on the result.
He said the side made a few mental errors and probably lacked the intensity it had brought to previous games. Otago had also slipped off a few tackles and was beaten at the breakdown.
Two yellow cards did not help - winger Kieran Moffat was spelled for a dangerous challenge on a Tasman player trying to catch the ball in the air, while replacement hooker Liam Coltman also spent 10 minutes on the sideline after a tip tackle. The players did not receive any further punishment.
Brown said the first four rounds of the competition had gone very fast and had been hectic, with the winning of the Ranfurly Shield also part of the equation.
The team hoped to make the most of the full week it had to prepare to take on Canterbury, which is unbeaten in the Premiership as it bids for a sixth straight title.
With the loss on Friday night, Otago sits third on the Championship table.
