Lehi Hopoate

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

How cool is this kid, when he took that pass of Turbo to score he slid on his side got up and instead of forcing the ball for a try he got up improved the position and ran the ball under the sticks. Most would have settled for a try in the corner, but not Lehi.

Very similar to Lehi’s try against the Knights in round 19 (in the same corner). I’m sure Reubs appreciates the smart work too!

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

Lehi Hopoate 1st Try

Lehi Hopoate 1st Try

www.nrl.com

 

[Under the Sticks]

How cool is this kid, when he took that pass of Turbo to score he slid on his side got up and instead of forcing the ball for a try he got up improved the position and ran the ball under the sticks. Most would have settled for a try in the corner, but not Lehi.

My personal nickname for him is Dorahi…..the new Joe Cool 😎

Of course I was wetting my pants when he cleverly moved behind the try line….

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Of course I was wetting my pants when he cleverly moved behind the try line….

Good to know.

 

[Carl]

Of course I was wetting my pants when he cleverly moved behind the try line….

Causation or coincidence?

 

[Highflier]

Seibold mentioned Lehi has just signed on for another three seasons, my understanding is this takes him to the end of 2027, nothing official on the NRL contracts website though.

Thanks for posting that mate , I listen to MMM on a Saturday and Sunday and they go out of thier way to avoid mentioning Manly

 

[Sheikheagle]

Thanks for posting that mate , I listen to MMM on a Saturday and Sunday and they go out of thier way to avoid mentioning Manly

The only way they get a mention on MMM is on Dead Set Legends by Richard Freeman who is a Manly supporter. He always talks them up. On the arvo show they interviewed Luke Keary and he talked up every other top 8 team except Manly. Lets hope the boys get wind of that.

 

[Hibyemama]

I agree.

Listing the outside backs in order of best to worse I’d go:
Tommy
Koula
Lehi
Talau
Saab
Garrick

That said there’s not a lot between the last 3.

you cant be serious. what does Koula do to be 2nd ranked? Ill have him dead last on that list. why do people say he is a good defender? he is too small to be effective and throughout the years, i have seen him molested, bullied, push back into the in goal by opposition defenders. koula has nothing, but speed. In no way am I bias against him. Just facts and reality. he is easily contained by the opposition. just too small and no power and easily stopped in his tracks. his only position is wing. too small for a centre. But Lehi is a much better player than Koula. Koula would be a good reserve for rest of season. garrick is indespensible for goal kicking and a damn good player, saab is lighning fast and tall (DCE loves kicking to Saab on that wing, talau is steady and reads the game well....no room for koula. I like koula, but just reality. ill go as far to say he will struggle to make 1st grade in other NRL teams. ive been following manly since the 1960s and koula is by far the most overrated player in the history of rugby league.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Perhaps the most complete Manly junior (on arrival in first grade) since the great (and greatly underestimated for the first half of his career) Alan Thompson over 50 years ago.

And there have been some great ‘instant first graders’ out of the juniors since then, like P. Blake, G. Toovey and S. Menzies.

It's interesting because he is not setting the entire competition on fire or anything like that. You think of Walsh when he first came through at the Warriors and everyone was talking about him. Then you think of Fa'aalogo at the Storm who has a highlights package that leaves Hoppa for dead.

But...

Neither Walsh nor Fa'aalogo seem (or 'seemed' in Walsh's case) to have the all round game of Hoppa. It's all the little areas of his game, like taking a pressure bomb with traffic all around him or driving for post-contact metres on yardage carries, that make special. I think I prefer that to a scintillating try because it's those aspects of a player's game that win matches, not the highlight reel stuff.

 

[Sheikheagle]

It's interesting because he is not setting the entire competition on fire or anything like that. You think of Walsh when he first came through at the Warriors and everyone was talking about him. Then you think of Fa'aalogo at the Storm who has a highlights package that leaves Hoppa for dead.

But...

Neither Walsh nor Fa'aalogo seem (or 'seemed' in Walsh's case) to have the all round game of Hoppa. It's all the little areas of his game, like taking a pressure bomb with traffic all around him or driving for post-contact metres on yardage carries, that make special. I think I prefer that to a scintillating try because it's those aspects of a player's game that win matches, not the highlight reel stuff.

Hey Leonard. Do you see hoppa playing 6? Has lovely hands, game awareness & is a strong defender.

 

[Dion Johnson]

It's interesting because he is not setting the entire competition on fire or anything like that. You think of Walsh when he first came through at the Warriors and everyone was talking about him. Then you think of Fa'aalogo at the Storm who has a highlights package that leaves Hoppa for dead.

But...

Neither Walsh nor Fa'aalogo seem (or 'seemed' in Walsh's case) to have the all round game of Hoppa. It's all the little areas of his game, like taking a pressure bomb with traffic all around him or driving for post-contact metres on yardage carries, that make special. I think I prefer that to a scintillating try because it's those aspects of a player's game that win matches, not the highlight reel stuff.

Throw in his composure and maturity at a young age along with how he has managed to cut his errors out in first grade, have only seen him make two handling errors in first grade.

Has a good sense of risk versus reward that should see him playing finals football.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

The only way they get a mention on MMM is on Dead Set Legends by Richard Freeman who is a Manly supporter. He always talks them up. On the arvo show they interviewed Luke Keary and he talked up every other top 8 team except Manly. Lets hope the boys get wind of that.

Luke Keary, the Colin Robinson of rugba league:

Luke’s got the pasty face, the death warmed up look. He makes a good vampire.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Luke Keary, the Colin Robinson of rugba league:

View attachment 27894
Luke’s got the pasty face, the death warmed up look. He makes a good vampire.

As does walker. the pasty bros or was that pastie.

 

[madmax]

you cant be serious. what does Koula do to be 2nd ranked? Ill have him dead last on that list. why do people say he is a good defender? he is too small to be effective and throughout the years, i have seen him molested, bullied, push back into the in goal by opposition defenders. koula has nothing, but speed. In no way am I bias against him. Just facts and reality. he is easily contained by the opposition. just too small and no power and easily stopped in his tracks. his only position is wing. too small for a centre. But Lehi is a much better player than Koula. Koula would be a good reserve for rest of season. garrick is indespensible for goal kicking and a damn good player, saab is lighning fast and tall (DCE loves kicking to Saab on that wing, talau is steady and reads the game well....no room for koula. I like koula, but just reality. ill go as far to say he will struggle to make 1st grade in other NRL teams. ive been following manly since the 1960s and koula is by far the most overrated player in the history of rugby league.

Go to bed mate…..make sure mommy tucks you in & gives back the dummy you just spat out! You have no clue about rugby league!

 

[LeonardCohen]

Hey Leonard. Do you see hoppa playing 6? Has lovely hands, game awareness & is a strong defender.

I think he’s got class fullback written all over him. He is so good under the high ball, a great last line of defence and chimes in beautifully. I would like to see him play wing for the next 3-4 years and by that time, Tom will be slowing down and can maybe move into the centres? All I know is we need to keep him come hell or high water!

 

[Under the Sticks]

Good to know.

It was okay it was throwing down on the hill and no one could tell 😝

 

[Hibyemama]

Go to bed mate…..make sure mommy tucks you in & gives back the dummy you just spat out! You have no clue about rugby league!

i have been following manly since 1967 dude. koula is not 1st grade standard. in february, no one here picked their top 8 to include the dogs. i did 🤣dragons were in my top 8 too. people think i am mad and dont know my footy picking dogs and dragons. but i have watched the game for 57 years. koula will stuff our season up. lehi is 10 times the player. Brad parker would be a better option than koula.

 

[Remy]

Has there ever been a rookie as composed and natural as Lehi is for his age? Like not ever for us but of all time. I can't believe what I'm seeing sometimes. He is 19.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

It was okay it was throwing down on the hill and no one could tell 😝

Thanks for clarifying.😉

 

[madmax]

i have been following manly since 1967 dude. koula is not 1st grade standard. in february, no one here picked their top 8 to include the dogs. i did 🤣dragons were in my top 8 too. people think i am mad and dont know my footy picking dogs and dragons. but i have watched the game for 57 years. koula will stuff our season up. lehi is 10 times the player. Brad parker would be a better option than koula.

Yawn zzzzzzzzzzzzzz……obviously you’re a Bulldogs supporter. Back to the kennel you go!