"Ideally I would like more than [a one-year extension] but a year gives me some time to think about things and see where I am at,'' Ropati said. "Hopefully I can hit some form so I can earn another contract either here or somewhere else. I want to stay here and finish my career here.
"It's a good time frame for me to play some footy and not worry about what is going to happen next year because it's already settled. It also gives me another year to hopefully be part of a premiership-winning side.''
Ropati is still the premium centre at the Warriors _ although he will once again line up at fullback against the Roosters with the injuries to both Kevin Locke and Glen Fisiiahi _ but will come under increasing pressure with the arrival of Dane Nielsen from Melbourne in 2013 as well as continued development of youngsters Ben Henry and Konrad Hurrell.
Henry is a second-rower or lock by trade and could shift there with Lewis Brown heading to Penrith next season but he has done a decent job as a centre of late and could see out the rest of the season there.
But Ropati's influence extends beyond what he does on the field and takes his role as a senior player seriously. He's also the club's One Community ambassador.
"Jerome's experience and versatility are so important for us,'' McClennan said. "With so many young players coming through into our NRL side, we need good people like Jerome to mentor them and help us with our culture.
"It's great to have Jerome staying on. We want him to stay here for his whole career. It's just a matter of working things out, which we will do.''
