Jamil Hopoate: Jail saved my life

[Jethro]

Jamil Hopoate says going to jail saved his life and resurrected his rugby league career
Jon Geddes, Manly Daily
July 8, 2016 12:00am

A chastened Jamil Hopoate has admitted the tough realities he faced during a stint in jail turned his life around and has helped him a make an amazing return to the Sea Eagles.

The rising star served nine months of an 18-month sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company in Manly in 2014.

The sentence led to him sacked by the Sea Eagles and his promising rugby league career was in tatters.

But last week Hopoate was registered again by Manly after being the standout performer for the Narraweena Hawks in the local A grade competition and he made an impressive debut off the bench for the Sea Eagles NSW Cup side against Wyong last Saturday at Brookvale Oval.

“It’s good to pull to pull the Manly colours back on and start playing that level of footy again,” he said.

And a candid Hopoate- the son of Sea Eagles legend Johh Hopoate- said he was now a very different person after his experience behind bars.

“I was leading the party life before I got locked up so it has definitely slowed me down,” he said.

“I had a lot of time to think so I knew that wasn’t the life I wanted and partying the way I was was a waste of time and a waste of my life.

“I’m a lot more mature than I was and my drive to pursue my footy dream is a lot stronger as well since I’ve been out.

“When you get locked up everything is taken away from you and I took everything for granted.

“I had to learn the hard way, but the hard way was what made me listen.

“I was told my whole life to pull my head in but it took going to jail to finally wake up to myself, in a way it’s good.”

Click here to continue reading the rest of the article.​

 

[HappilyManly]

Sounds just like his father after every new transgression.

Everything he did was his choice

The man he assaulted, was a good samaritan who was attempting to actually save another from being assaulted by JH's mates

 

[manlyfan76]

He also has developed a phobia of showers.

 

[Budgie]

Jamil Hopoate says going to jail saved his life and resurrected his rugby league career
Jon Geddes, Manly Daily
July 8, 2016 12:00am

A chastened Jamil Hopoate has admitted the tough realities he faced during a stint in jail turned his life around and has helped him a make an amazing return to the Sea Eagles.

The rising star served nine months of an 18-month sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company in Manly in 2014.

The sentence led to him sacked by the Sea Eagles and his promising rugby league career was in tatters.

But last week Hopoate was registered again by Manly after being the standout performer for the Narraweena Hawks in the local A grade competition and he made an impressive debut off the bench for the Sea Eagles NSW Cup side against Wyong last Saturday at Brookvale Oval.

“It’s good to pull to pull the Manly colours back on and start playing that level of footy again,” he said.

And a candid Hopoate- the son of Sea Eagles legend Johh Hopoate- said he was now a very different person after his experience behind bars.

“I was leading the party life before I got locked up so it has definitely slowed me down,” he said.

“I had a lot of time to think so I knew that wasn’t the life I wanted and partying the way I was was a waste of time and a waste of my life.

“I’m a lot more mature than I was and my drive to pursue my footy dream is a lot stronger as well since I’ve been out.

“When you get locked up everything is taken away from you and I took everything for granted.

“I had to learn the hard way, but the hard way was what made me listen.

“I was told my whole life to pull my head in but it took going to jail to finally wake up to myself, in a way it’s good.”

Click here to continue reading the rest of the article.​

Zero contrition for the man he beat up.
He's given the opportunity of a puff piece and he can't even figure to do that. And nor did anyone advise him to do so.
The signs are not good.

 

[robbiea]

To be fair the modern day reporter only takes bits and pieces from the interview.Which probably wasn't theirs to begin with.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

We seem to have lots of these reformed player threads these days.
Cut and paste, 'I was stupid but I have learned my lesson'.

 

[The Who]

With the core of players we now have in our squad these days, the coach better be careful with his pre-game rev-up to "Take no prisoners!"

 

[Bearfax]

Contrary to what many seem to believe on these forums, people do change. Not their basic personality, but their choices in life. Jamil may or may not have learned his lesson. Time will tell. But not giving him the opportunity would make a worse man of him, than offering the opportunity. Vested interests are a strong stabilising factor. And he may be John Hopoate's son but he isnt john Hopoate. Judging him because of his father is misguided.

 

[HappilyManly]

Contrary to what many seem to believe on these forums, people do change. Not their basic personality, but their choices in life. Jamil may or may not have learned his lesson. Time will tell. But not giving him the opportunity would make a worse man of him, than offering the opportunity. Vested interests are a strong stabilising factor. And he may be John Hopoate's son but he isnt john Hopoate. Judging him because of his father is misguided.

We are judging him on kicking an unconscious man in the head.

He says that he is saved, it is similar to the line constantly trotted out by his father after each new charge

I would love everyone to be given a chance and only when this cycle is complere, those that wasted their first can queue up for their second chance

 

[Snake]

The celebration of Todd Carney in 2010 when he won the Dally M medal before self destructing again has made me very cautious of these stories. The fact that this story has the words Hopoate in them makes me even more sceptical. I wish him all the best but actions speak louder than words. Just get on with it Jamil!

 

[Bearfax]

No one is condoning the nastiness of his actions. And Jamil has been a rebel of sorts in the past, though this was the first serious offence he committed, most other incidents were through ill-discipline and distractions of as he admits, 'a party life'.

But he has served his time and states that he wants to get on with his life and leave that former life behind him. Now that is just words and I agree that actions are required. But he has now been out for six months and has concentrated on his football with Narraweena to re-earn his chance to be regraded. Do we just turn our back on the lad. Do we continue to judge him for the rest of his life, the so called Mark of Caine.

I've made mistakes in my past, some of which could have got me in some trouble. I learned over time what was more important. Everyone who moves forward does. There are some who commit serious offences when they are young and turn their life around. There are others who lead a saintly life when young and suddenly commit heinous crimes. That's the variability of human nature and all of us have the potential to commit serious offences.

What stops us is our conditioning, the values we hold, the friends and family we have and the potential of losing it all. Vested interests. Jamil is less likely to get into further trouble if his life is occupied by something he likes, values, gives him self worth, pays his bills and keeps him away from negative influences. Take that away and he may well fall into serious criminality. And yes there is the chance he will fall again. But do we deny the chance just because of our suspicions.

Its important to always offer the opportunity if earned. That, more than anything keeps us in check.

 

[Rex]

No one is condoning the nastiness of his actions. And Jamil has been a rebel of sorts in the past, though this was the first serious offence he committed, most other incidents were through ill-discipline and distractions of as he admits, 'a party life'.

But he has served his time and states that he wants to get on with his life and leave that former life behind him. Now that is just words and I agree that actions are required. But he has now been out for six months and has concentrated on his football with Narraweena to re-earn his chance to be regraded. Do we just turn our back on the lad. Do we continue to judge him for the rest of his life, the so called Mark of Caine.

I've made mistakes in my past, some of which could have got me in some trouble. I learned over time what was more important. Everyone who moves forward does. There are some who commit serious offences when they are young and turn their life around. There are others who lead a saintly life when young and suddenly commit heinous crimes. That's the variability of human nature and all of us have the potential to commit serious offences.

What stops us is our conditioning, the values we hold, the friends and family we have and the potential of losing it all. Vested interests. Jamil is less likely to get into further trouble if his life is occupied by something he likes, values, gives him self worth, pays his bills and keeps him away from negative influences. Take that away and he may well fall into serious criminality. And yes there is the chance he will fall again. But do we deny the chance just because of our suspicions.

Its important to always offer the opportunity if earned. That, more than anything keeps us in check.

Does the NRL have a rehabilitation role? There are plenty of stories of sport being used to rehabilitate entire communities. Especially team sports.

We could play the social discard game and exclude the likes of Addin, Liam and Jamil. Or we can take a chance, live with the uncertainty and discomfort of human imperfections, to maybe make a difference in some lives. And win a few footy games at the same time.

 

[MissKate]

When an article describes John H as a Manly legend you know it is a little sus, media's normal description of him is 'disgraced ex-Manly player'

 

[Frank]

Same **** different day

 

[Jerry1]

ThugsRus...

 

[The Eagle Eye]

Jamil Hopoate will be our future second rower IMO.

Our future forward pack will look like this-

8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Matt Parcell
10. Liam Knight
11. Jamil Hopoate
12. Martin Taupau
13. Jake Trbojevic

14. Willis Meehan
15. ?
16. ?
17. ?

IF he can stay out of trouble and hang with the right people, he might become a star player. Keep an eye on Bonny Hopoate too, this guy can hit like Matai.

 

[Snake]

No one is condoning the nastiness of his actions. And Jamil has been a rebel of sorts in the past, though this was the first serious offence he committed, most other incidents were through ill-discipline and distractions of as he admits, 'a party life'.

But he has served his time and states that he wants to get on with his life and leave that former life behind him. Now that is just words and I agree that actions are required. But he has now been out for six months and has concentrated on his football with Narraweena to re-earn his chance to be regraded. Do we just turn our back on the lad. Do we continue to judge him for the rest of his life, the so called Mark of Caine.

I've made mistakes in my past, some of which could have got me in some trouble. I learned over time what was more important. Everyone who moves forward does. There are some who commit serious offences when they are young and turn their life around. There are others who lead a saintly life when young and suddenly commit heinous crimes. That's the variability of human nature and all of us have the potential to commit serious offences.

What stops us is our conditioning, the values we hold, the friends and family we have and the potential of losing it all. Vested interests. Jamil is less likely to get into further trouble if his life is occupied by something he likes, values, gives him self worth, pays his bills and keeps him away from negative influences. Take that away and he may well fall into serious criminality. And yes there is the chance he will fall again. But do we deny the chance just because of our suspicions.

Its important to always offer the opportunity if earned. That, more than anything keeps us in check.

I'm all for him getting another shot at a rugby league career and I am happy for him to have that opportunity at Manly, but that doesn't mean (a) that we haven't all heard this sort of story one too many times before and (b) that we are not allowed to be sceptical of a guy that kicked another guys head in while he was on the ground.

 

[Bearfax]

I'm all for him getting another shot at a rugby league career and I am happy for him to have that opportunity at Manly, but that doesn't mean (a) that we haven't all heard this sort of story one too many times before and (b) that we are not allowed to be sceptical of a guy that kicked another guys head in while he was on the ground.

Scepticism is fine. I indicated that he may fail. But this is about giving him the chance to succeed...or fail. If we offer no chance then we've judged him to only fail.

 

[HappilyManly]

Scepticism is fine. I indicated that he may fail. But this is about giving him the chance to succeed...or fail. If we offer no chance then we've judged him to only fail.

Why don't you acknowledge that Manly was his second chance, after he was fired by Parra for continued bad behaviour.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...cipline-breaches/story-fn2mcuj6-1226534458725

How did he repay the faith? By loutish behaviour resulting in criminal assault in company and jail time

This is the third chance for JH and again he is taking the spot of a young player looking for is very first chance

Jamil and Sonnie have no outstanding talent, to risk a Club's reputation for

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

This bloke had been a 'rising star' for about what, 5 years at least? If he was going to make it, that should have happened by now. Sure he might still get there, but at what cost to the Manly club's reputation, assuming he slides back into his usual behaviour?

In this instance, a case of the apple not falling far from the tree.