Fai was destined for greatness: Jerome Ropati

Former New Zealand Warriors Rugby League player Jerome Ropati sits in the gym at Mt Smart Stadium in front of picture of the late Sonny Fai. Photo / Greg Bowker

Warriors and Kiwis stalwart Jerome Ropati believes if not for tragedy intervening, Sonny Fai would this year be captaining the Warriors and cementing his status as one of the game's greats.

The former centre, who works on the Warriors staff as a coach of the under-20s team, spoke to the Herald for the three-part podcast and extended feature The Remarkable Life and Tragic Death of Sonny Fai.

Ropati said the last time he saw Fai alive was as part of a Warriors camp in the Far North just before the end of 2008. He roomed with Fai and noticed what great shape he was in.

"The best I'd ever seen him," Ropati said. "I thought, 'He's going to have a really good year, I can't wait to play with him'."

Instead, Fai went for a swim at Bethells Beach on January 4, 2009, and never returned. His body was never recovered.

His former teammates and family are left to wonder what might have been. And Ropati has no doubt it would have been great.

"He would have played over 200 games, he'd still be here with the Warriors. I don't think we'd ever let him go. I wouldn't be surprised if he was captain to be honest because he wasn't afraid to speak. For a young guy he wasn't afraid to talk and bring about his opinions."

Ropati saw stylistic similarities with another superstar of the sport.

"Jason Taumalolo comes to mind. Strong, powerful, he'd play back row No 13, but he had good feet and was good at going forward."

Fai's prodigious ability to lift iron was what first caught the attention of his older, more illustrious clubmates. Ropati had heard about his gym work before he saw him play.

"I heard about how much he bench pressed. Yeah, that was amazing. He was benching something like 170kg, for a young guy like that it hurts - [I thought] I've got to see him, see what he's like."

Players lifting weights now have a permanent reminder of Warrior No138.

In the corner of the gym there is a mural of Fai.

Podcast can be listened to on iHeartRadio. For the full-length feature article click here.