League: Ropati is versatile enough to play any part

Describing a player as 'versatile' is often damning. It comes with connotations that they're a jack of all trades, yet not good enough to master their preferred position.

Jerome Ropati fits the mould exactly, having played in three different positions in only 10 games for the Warriors this season - five-eighth, fullback and now centre.

Far from getting the pip with coach Tony Kemp, Ropati is philosophical about what has been asked of him - publicly at least - and is taking the opportunity to school himself on the finer details of the game.

Just thinking about where he's played this season is enough to give anyone a headache.

He started at fullback to cover the injured Brent Webb before sharing the five-eighth position with Lance Hohaia.

When Webb returned and Nathan Fien and Sione Faumuina were tried at five-eighth, Ropati found himself in the unfamiliar position of centre.

He's now keeping Clinton Toopi, considered one of the best centres in the game a couple of years ago, on the bench.

"It's been challenging trying to learn the roles that come with each position but it's helped me to understand the game and to read it from different angles," he said quietly yet thoughtfully.

"It can make or break you, so it just depends on how you take it. But I do think it will make me a better player."

In fact, Ropati is just thankful to be playing. In many respects it comes with the territory of being a 20-year-old among a team of seasoned professionals.

Although he trained mostly at five-eighth during the off-season and sees his future there, moving into the centres has actually taken quite a bit of pressure off the youngster, who made his test debut at fullback in the Anzac test.

"The last couple of games at centre has given me confidence because I haven't made as many errors at centre as I did at No 6 or No 1," he explained. "Fullback is probably the hardest position because when you stuff it up everyone can see it but at centre you get a lot more support."

With one eye firmly on recapturing the No 6 jersey, perhaps next season after the departure of Stacey Jones, Ropati wasn't even rattled by talk of Anthony Mundine descending on the Warriors.

"I don't get upset if I don't get to play in my position or even if I don't get to play," he said.

A versatile response from a versatile player.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY