The fair hit
🙂
The story below shows he didn't learn his lesson even in park footy.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,24159931-5003409,00.html#
League bad boy John Hopoate sent off in Sydney park football
Dean Ritchie | August 11, 2008 07:17am
John Hopoate
MORE strife . . . notorious rugby league bad boy John Hopoate has been sent off for a high tackle in Sydney park football. / The Daily Telegraph
RUGBY league's most notorious bad boy, John Hopoate, has become caught up in more on-field drama, this time in Sydney park football. Hopoate when sent off playing in a Manly A grade semi-final at Forestville Park on Sydney's northside yesterday.
Playing for Cromer against Forestville, Hopoate decked Ferrets halfback Robbie Sydenham with a high tackle during the second half of a game won 22-10 by Cromer.
The send-off continues a turbulent and tumultuous playing career for Hopoate, who was forced out of the NRL in 2005 when suspended for 17 weeks for a high tackle on then Cronulla prop Keith Galloway.
Sydenham came from the field immediately and was taken to hospital for precautionary scans. He was heavily concussed.
Spectators at the game claim Hopoate's tackle was high and hit Sydenham from behind.
"It was shocking," said one fan.
Forestville president Mark Trim described the tackle as "terrible" and thinks Hopoate should be suspended for between four and six weeks.
"Our player was hit blatantly high and from behind," an angry Trim said. "It looked terrible. Pretty ordinary.
"Going by what the judiciary has done this season, I reckon Hopoate will get a four- to six-week suspension."
Hopoate's season is almost certainly over and his dream of winning an A grade premiership with Cromer now virtually dead.
"Robbie had to go to hospital," Trim said. "He had concussion and we wanted him to go for scans."
Another suspension would surely end Hopoate's football career. He has played this season for Cromer while still continuing to fight as a heavyweight.
Forestville were angry they lost their playmaker for a large portion of the game and are now out of the A-grade competition.
Cromer was kicked out of the competition last week for playing unregistered players. But the Kingfishers were reinstated after a meeting of the Manly Junior League delegates.
Hopoate was not one of the players unregistered but said last week: "Controversy seems to follow me everywhere I go.
"We've done so well this year to get where we are. This could be my final chance to win a premiership.
"I've been really looking forward to playing in the finals.
"The team has done a lot of hard yards. We didn't do too well at the start of the year but we have come back well."
Hopoate remains one of rugby league's most notorious players.
His most bizarre act came when suspended for poking his fingers into the anuses of opposition players.
Hopoate's son, William, scored three tries for the Australian Schoolboys last week.
