Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Born
- Wednesday, 16th January, 1974
- Current Age
- 50 years and 136 days
- Place Of Birth
- Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Known Family Links
- Cousin
- Willie Manu
- Son
- William Hopoate
- Niece
- Shirley Mailangi
- Daughter
- Kalosipani Hopoate
- Son
- Jamil Hopoate
- Albert Hopoate
Biography
Tongan-born Campbelltown junior originally grew up in the Manly area before moving to Sydney’s Western Suburbs as a teenager. Former club coach Bob Fulton remembered the promising winger from Hopoate’s junior career and recruited him back to Manly where he represented NSW U’19s. Hopoate was an obvious talent on the wing, taking a lot of pressure off his forwards with his fearlessly hard-running style, but his early grade career was marked by an on-field arrogance that detracted from his ability. In 1995 he made his debut for NSW in Melbourne but was dropped for the third match of the series after an unhappy game. Hopoate continued his sledging tactics all the way to the grand final that year but the Sea Eagles came up second best against a more committed C’bury team. Tonga looked set to snare Hopoate and Jim Dymock for the World Cup that year until Australian selectors took no chances at the height of the Super League war and named both players in their squad. A Hopoate error proved the turning point in the 20-16 loss against Great Britain in the opening match of competition but it was not enough to deter an under-strength Australian team from an extraordinary victory in the final (Hopoate scored three tries in the 86-6 win over South Africa in a preliminary Test but did not play in the final). The following year the hard-running flankman savoured grand final victory against St George after scoring the opening try of the match but could not help himself in the 1997 decider, patting Newcastle fullback Robbie O’Davis on the head after crashing over for a try. (A fired-up O’Davis returned serve by scoring two tries and earning ‘man of the match’ honours in Newcastle’s grand final win). After being fined by the Manly club for off-field misbehaviour in early 1999 it was only the intervention of his team-mates that prevented him from being sacked from the club after he turned up drunk to a training session. Hopoate was dropped to First Division for 8 weeks, heavily fined and ordered to seek counselling. Signing with the newly formed W’Tigers in 2000, Hopoate brought a lot of his experience to the young club but was involved in a series of niggling on-field incidents late in the year. (In one match, against Melbourne, he was charged with ‘contrary conduct’ concerning ten separate incidents in the game). In an effort to unsettle opposing players in 2001 Hopoate resorted to inserting his finger in their backsides. The revelation of such tactics left the Tigers with no option but to sack him but, after a period of public humiliation, he returned to Manly’s first division team and actually finished the year in the N’Eagles top grade. At Manly in 2003 he broke his ankle late in the year but proved old habits die hard when he was stood down from the club when his attitude was not up to scratch the following year. However, the club offered Hopoate a lifeline with a one-year contract but he was suspended for a high-tackle on a North Queensland opponent and his rugby league career was finished. Hopoate made a successful start to his professional heavyweight boxing career in 2006.
- ALAN WHITICKER
Playing Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
Competitions | ||||||||||||||
Competition | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NSWRL/ARL/NRL Premiership | 209 | 87 | - | - | 348 | 120 | 83 | 6 | 57.42% | List | ||||
Challenge Cup AU | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
State of Origin | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
NSWRL/ARL/NRL Finals | 10 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 70.00% | List | ||||
World Cup | 2 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
City vs Country | 3 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
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Test Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1995 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
World Cup Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1995 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
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Australia - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
NSW | 1995 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
NSW City | 1997, 2002-03 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | |||
Overall | 1995-2003 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
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NSWRL/ARL/NRL Premiership - By Year | ||||||||||||||
Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Manly | NSWRL 1993 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List | |||
Manly | NSWRL 1994 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66.67% | List | |||
Manly | ARL 1995 | 25 | 21 | - | - | 84 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 88.00% | List | |||
Manly | ARL 1996 | 23 | 11 | - | - | 44 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 82.61% | List | |||
Manly | ARL 1997 | 25 | 15 | - | - | 60 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 68.00% | List | |||
Manly | NRL 1998 | 23 | 11 | - | - | 44 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 52.17% | List | |||
Manly | NRL 1999 | 17 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 35.29% | List | |||
Wests Tigers | NRL 2000 | 23 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 43.48% | List | |||
Wests Tigers | NRL 2001 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60.00% | List | |||
Northern Eagles | NRL 2001 | 7 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 28.57% | List | |||
Northern Eagles | NRL 2002 | 24 | 10 | - | - | 40 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 41.67% | List | |||
Manly | NRL 2003 | 15 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 40.00% | List | |||
Manly | NRL 2004 | 10 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 40.00% | List | |||
Manly | NRL 2005 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
NSWRL/ARL/NRL Premiership - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Manly | 1993-99, 2003-05 | 150 | 69 | - | - | 276 | 95 | 52 | 3 | 63.33% | List | |||
Wests Tigers | 2000-01 | 28 | 6 | - | - | 24 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 46.43% | List | |||
Northern Eagles | 2001-02 | 31 | 12 | - | - | 48 | 12 | 18 | 1 | 38.71% | List | |||
Overall | 1993-2005 | 209 | 87 | 0 | 0 | 348 | 120 | 83 | 6 | 57.42% | List |
Contributions:
Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, AJ Lucantonio, Paul Carter, Greg Fiveash
Sources:
David Middleton's Rugby League Yearbook (1987-88 to present)
Your Say
13/04/2020
It was for a raised elbow on Keith Galloway who was playing for the Sharks at the time
05/09/2021
Stats may not say it on paper, but I heard he had quite the finger in the game
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