League: Ropati time as Warriors revel in sun

Jerome Ropati scores the third of his four tries as the Warriors make light work of the Roosters. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Warriors 42 Roosters 16

The sun shone on the Warriors' season farewell at Mt Smart - leaving the dark clouds to circle a famous foe. In their final home match for 2006, the Warriors pummelled the Sydney Roosters and Ivan Cleary's side could have cracked the 60-point mark.

That's how bad the Roosters were, on a day when it emerged that their boss Nick Politis is ready to sack coach Ricky Stuart, the current Kangaroos boss.

Stuart bypassed the post-match press conference and captain Craig Fitzgibbon convincingly claimed no knowledge of the newspaper story, but there are clearly major problems within the recent grand final regulars who have become cellar dwellers.

The Roosters' players did some outstanding drawing and quartering at Mt Smart Stadium if Stuart has indeed been hung out to dry.

The Warriors revelled in the situation, and spent much of the final quarter indulging themselves in an almost party atmosphere. The hometown hero was stand-off Jerome Ropati, who notched four tries, the second equal best by a Warrior behind Francis Meli's five. He could easily have had a fifth but just failed to get a touch on a grubber kick.

Two Brent Webb tries were rubbed out by the video referee and Lance Hohaia only just failed to grab a pass that would have led to another.

In superb conditions, the 12,700 crowd built up to a Warriors chant in the final seven minutes and were left with a great taste in the mouth, while Stuart headed home to bitter pills.

Extravagant individual glories eluded departing Warriors Awen Guttenbeil and Webb, who are headed to English clubs. Webb even turned down a conversion attempt offered by Lance Hohaia following Ropati's final try. So the flashy goodbyes didn't happen - but a more satisfying finale emerged through Ropati's swaggering performance.

It has been a confidence-building season for the No 6, who was not given security during Tony Kemp's reign but has flourished with the unwavering support of Cleary and John Ackland. Kemp was often criticised for mucking around with selections in pivotal positions, and the critics can justifiably point to Ropati's growing form under the new regime as evidence that Kemp got it wrong.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and it could be suggested that it wouldn't have been built at all under the sort of project management employed by the former coach.

Captain Steve Price said: "He [Ropati] has just put his head down and tried to improve every week."

The Roosters' lacklustre effort was summed up by the soft defence of Josh Lewis and Iosia Soliola in the 38th minute which allowed Ropati to score his second. It was just one of many such disasters as the Warriors cantered to a fourth win in a row.

A solid effort in Brisbane next week would cap a satisfying end to the season and Cleary is hoping the club is winning back friends.

There is, of course, little point in predicting grand new dawns. Given the turbulent past, such predictions should rightly find deaf ears. But with a mighty pack, and Ropati finding his feet in partnership with Grant Rovelli, there is plenty of cause for hope.