|
Mormon Rugby Player Back in Australian National Rugby League
MANLY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA -- Nearly a year after he was
banned for on-field indiscretions, Australian Rugby player and LDS
Church member John Hopoate is preparing for a new season with
Australia's National Rugby League starting February 16th. Chastened
for his antics last year, Hopoate has promised not to repeat the
incidents that won him international infamy and led to a 12-week ban
covering the end of last season and costing him a winger position on
Wests Tigers.
Even by last year, Hopoate had come a long way from the drunken,
carousing player he once was. He has now gone three years without a
drink, is faithful to his family, and reportedly attends his LDS ward
in Manly regularly. But the past year represents both a backwards
move in his reformation, and a new reformation from on-field
'bad-boy' conduct.
Hopoate's reformation was well under way last year when it took a
sudden and very public regression. After complaints from opposing
players, game films confirmed that Hopoate regularly upset and
annoyed opponents during games by poking his fingers, through their
clothes, up their backsides. The revelation of his conduct led to a
public scandal and infamy across Australia and New Zealand. The
27-year-old Hopoate was quickly suspended from the National Rugby
League for 12 weeks, and his team, the Wests Tigers, which had taken
him in after his reformation, forced him to resign.
In the middle of the furor, a New Zealand cancer charity sought to
take advantage of the incident, and printed in a newspaper
advertisement a picture of Hopoate performing his indiscretion during
a game. Below the picture, the ad read, "A bloke's chances of
developing prostate cancer increase as he gets older. If you have
symptoms that you're concerned about, consult your local doctor. It
won't hurt a bit -- promise." But both Hopoate and the National Rugby
League said the ad was in "bad taste" and threatened to sue for
unauthorized use of Hopoate's image.
For a time the incident seemed like it might end his career, but
several weeks later Hopoate received an offer to play in England for
one of its Super League teams. But Hopoate decided to stay in
Australia with his family, and signed with the Manly-Warringah Sea
Eagles, a lower division team that feeds into the Northern Eagles
where he will start the 2002 season. Hopoate had played for Manly
when his drinking and nightclubbing was out-of-control, before he
reformed and joined the Wests Tigers in 1999.
In the off season, Hopoate has again sought to reform himself and
rebuild his reputation. He now promises that last year's tactics
won't be repeated, "I just have to stop those stupid little antics I
used to do," he said. And Eagles Coach Peter Sharp has told him that
as one of the more experienced players on the team, Hopoate will be
expected to set an example. And Hopoate, who will become a father for
the sixth time before the season begins, says he is up to the
responsibility, "I've got a bit of a point to prove, I just want to
get on with it and show people I still have something to offer," he
added.
Sources:
Hoppa's sixth sense
OneEyedEagle.com (Daily Telegraph) 18Jan02 S2
By Jon Geddes: Daily Telegraph
Hopoate to start afresh
BBC 18Jan02 S2
Bad boy Hopoate returns
BBC 20Jun01 S2
Super League beckons for Hopoate
BBC 11May01 S2
Disgraced player in sue threat
BBC 4Apr01 S2
See also:
LDS Rugby Player's Shocking Conduct May End Career
Mormon News 6Apr01 S2
By Kent Larsen
LDS Rugby Player Reforms, Gains Teammates' Respect
Mormon News 14Apr01 S2
By Kent Larsen
|
