Notorious NRL bad boy John Hopoate has been banned from attending Wests Tigers events for the foreseeable future after a verbal altercation with an official at an event last week. The 50-year-old, who played 28 games for the Tigers during his controversial tenure, NRL career, is said to have “harassed” NSW Rugby League CEO Dave Trodden.
Hopoate was a guest at a gala dinner hosted by the Wests Tigers on Friday night to mark their 25th anniversary in the NRL, but the evening is said to have taken a bitter turn when Hopoate allegedly insulted Trodden – the NSWRL boss – because the governing body had banned him from playing local football with his son Will.
Trodden and his family reportedly left the event immediately and were quite shaken by the incident. Wests Tigers managing director Shane Richardson told The wide world of sports: “It was a disgrace and he is no longer welcome at future Tigers events.”
Hopoate’s verbal altercation with Trodden reportedly stemmed from the NSWRL’s decision to ban him multiple times due to his extensive criminal record. “It was horrific to watch and all anyone talked about afterward,” said one person who witnessed the alleged incident. WWOS.
John Hopoate speaks out but denies abusing Dave Trodden
Hopoate has since confirmed that the incident took place, but said the Sydney Morning Herald: “I didn’t cross any lines with Dave. There was no drama, I just asked Dave Trodden why the NSWRL wouldn’t let me play.”
“I never called him names, I never threatened him, and all he ever said was, ‘This is the wrong time.’ I asked him why it wasn’t the right time because I never received an email explaining why.
“I just wanted to play in the third division at Narraweena this year with my son Will and some of my cousins. The competition is on a Saturday which was perfect. We wanted it to be a family affair. Before I was banned, clubs were told to give up if I got clearance to play. The only thing I did wrong was to call him names.”
John Hopoate’s controversial NRL career
Hopoate played 209 NRL games from 1993 to 2005, 181 of which were with Manly and the Northern Eagles. His two-year stint with the Tigers will be remembered by NRL fans for a long time – but not for the right reasons.
He was banned for 12 matches for three separate incidents in which he stabbed North Queensland players in the anus during a match this year, and later agreed to part ways with the Tigers as a result of the scandal.
He was then thrown a lifeline and returned to the Northern Eagles – a joint venture between Manly and North Sydney – but that only lasted two seasons. He played a further three seasons with the Sea Eagles, but not without further controversy.
RELATED:
In 2005, he was suspended for 17 weeks and Manly terminated his contract after he elbowed Cronulla striker Keith Galloway in the head. The suspension and termination ended Hopoate’s career as a professional player, and the years that followed were not without scandal.
In 2018, he was charged by the NSWRL for punching opposition players while playing for the Narraweena Hawks against Forestville in a local A-grade match. As a result, he was banned from any participation in the NSW Rugby League for 10 years.
Hopoate has several sons who have played in the NRL. Will Hopoate played for Manly, Parramatta and the Bulldogs, while also playing State of Origin for NSW. Lehi Hopoate made his debut for Manly this year and was a sensation.
