Lehi Hopoate

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frank stokes

I discriminate indiscriminately
Both Will & Lehi have received similar wraps early in their careers, but I've been more impressed with Lehi after a handful of games for them both.
What do others think?
Hard to say... the new flashy toy is ALWAYS the best but I remember being absolutely devastated that Will was leaving as he looked the complete package too...

Will had footy smarts, size, strength, hands and, most importantly, time.... Jeez he was a good player in 2011...
 
Both Will & Lehi have received similar wraps early in their careers, but I've been more impressed with Lehi after a handful of games for them both.
What do others think?
Will started his young career at Manly with a Bang
But I think Lehi will be a Better player
Will played 215 games and scored 50 tries as an outside back 14 of those on the wing with manly's premiership winning side.

Compared to Brad Parker played 117 games and scored 29 tries mostly at center in average manly sides.

He has to be better than Will hopoate if he wants to keep his spot at manly.
 

BOZO

Journey Man
Tipping Member
Will played 215 games and scored 50 tries as an outside back 14 of those on the wing with manly's premiership winning side.

Compared to Brad Parker played 117 games and scored 29 tries mostly at center in average manly sides.

He has to be better than Will hopoate if he wants to keep his spot at manly.
The Will and Parker comparison Perspective ...

Will was a much better player than Brad Parker ever was
Will left Manly for a Mega Dollar contract that Brad Parker never had the talent to earn
Brad Parker was one of the most over rated and underwhelming Manly backs in our Legendary clubs Premiership Winning History
Brad parker kept his spot at Manly because at the time Manly could not produce any better quality centres then the NSW cup standards Parker and Harper
 

TokyoEagle

Bencher
Really? Koula was on the bench on Friday.
Sorry, didn't have a chance to watch Friday's game and could only get the highlights. Happy to hear Seibs is mixing things up a little. Makes sense with Lawton coming back into the team.
 
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Reactions: Carl

TokyoEagle

Bencher
Slater did it in Origin and Seibs has bar 1 or 2 games since .. playing Koula and hoppa at 14.. and like I said if all 8 backs are fit and available he will continue with this ploy
Seibs showed who his best 17 are against the dogs as all were fit and ready to go
Hadn't noticed it from us this year. As mentioned in my prior post, makes sense with Lawton in the team to cover 9 and Jake the FR rotation when needed.
 

mave

First Grader
Premium Member
Tipping Member
Why oh why does every thread somehow wind up being about Brad fkn Parker?

Actually, don't answer that.

I already know why.
It's just the usual spam, minus the memes.
 

LeonardCohen

Bencher
Will and Albert both seemed to lose the speed they had when coming through as juniors. If Will had kept the speed he showed when he first came into grade, he would have remained an elite player. Instead, he seemed very sluggish and instead, used his hands, fend and passing game to be effective. In many ways, he never lived up to the height and in others, he was a very underrated and exceptional first grader.
 

Ron E. Gibbs

First Grader
Will and Albert both seemed to lose the speed they had when coming through as juniors. If Will had kept the speed he showed when he first came into grade, he would have remained an elite player. Instead, he seemed very sluggish and instead, used his hands, fend and passing game to be effective. In many ways, he never lived up to the height and in others, he was a very underrated and exceptional first grader.
Yeah, I think people under appreciate the career Will had after he left us. He was a very, very good and thoroughly professional NRL player (primarily at centre) for many years - even after taking his two-year Mormon sabbatical. He won a grand final with us and another in the UK 11 years later with St Helens. That team then beat Penrith in the World Club Challenge in 2023. He played five Origin games for NSW and internationals for Tonga. He had a great career, and there were plenty of times I wished he'd never left us.
 

Ned

Bencher
spartacus GIF

No I am Brad parker
 

Dion Johnson

Bencher
Premium Member
Tipping Member

Skinny as’ but Lehi defying weight of expectations in stunning rise​


Will Hopoate is convinced that his brother Lehi can be the best Hopoate yet, but family members are still stunned that he is playing in the NRL with his slight physique.

“He’s skinny as,” Will says of Lehi. “Me and my brothers are always laughing at him.

“We’ll be having a yarn on mum and dad’s lounge, looking at him and asking, ‘How are you playing first grade like that?’”

Lehi, 19, has been a mid-season revelation for the Sea Eagles after thinking during the off-season that he had done well to simply get a few games in reserve grade.

Despite weighing only 82 kilograms, Lehi has more than held his own against much bigger and heavier wing opponents. He will start on the wing against Cronulla at 4 Pines Park on Sunday afternoon, where victory will ensure Manly host an elimination final next weekend.

With Wests Tigers young gun Lachie Galvin ineligible for NRL rookie of the year, Lehi, who has scored nine tries in 11 games, isin the conversation.

Galvin was banned for two weeks for dangerous contact on Parramatta’s Kelma Tuilagi in round four.

Lehi’s infamous father, John Hopoate, was stunned that Galvin could not win the award

I could understand if he did what I used to do, but for a hip-drop? Lachie would have won, for sure,” Hopoate snr said.

Will, who won a premiership with Manly at the same age as Lehi, 19, and went on to play for NSW, watches Lehi closely.

As an ex-player you look for certain things in a game, and, despite his frame, Lehi has an ability to still find his front with tough carries,” Will says.

“Everyone has 20 or 30kg on him, and it would be easy for him to get picked up and dragged back. But he gets his nose down and finds his front and gets the quick play-the-balls. That shows he’s ready for the physicality and contact.

I’m just as surprised and proud with how he’s going. But he’s a kid who takes opportunities with both hands.

“I’m so happy for him. He’s got me covered in terms of skill and athleticism.

assist.CREDIT: NRL

“He’s at the beginning of his career, but if he keeps his head down and focuses on himself, and doesn’t change the approach to his game, the sky’s the limit.”

John celebrates all the successes of his 11 children. However, while he loves the NRL title and representative achievements Will enjoyed, he maintains that Jamil could have been the best Hopoate of the lot if he had stayed out of trouble

But he’s excited about Lehi’s untapped potential.

“Lehi could easily reach the same heights as Will – he could even be better given the way he’s going at the moment,” John says.

“He hasn’t put a foot wrong yet. He looks like he’s been in grade for years.

“We only spoke about it the other day, how we thought he’d play under-21s and if he went well enough, he’d play a bit of reserve grade. No way did we think he’d play first grade this year.

“He’s laid-back like Will, nothing fazes him. He actually used to drive me crazy with how laid-back he was. Sometimes it looked like he didn’t care before a game or during a game. It drove me mad. There were a couple of times Will used to sneak him into the car and take off before I could get my hands on him.”

Will adds: “Lehi should thank me for saving his life a few times – he should thank me for saving him on those occasions when he didn’t play his best.”

John continues: “Because Lehi was a bit younger than the other boys, I’d make his brothers run at him so he could tackle, and he was never scared.”

Before he made his NRL debut in May, Lehi stood on the front lawn of the family home on the northern beaches posing for a photo for this masthead, and said he was too young to see his father play.

“There was never any video from the 1950s, so he never went viral,” said Lehi, as an unimpressed John glared at him.

When John played, he was nearly 30kg heavier than Lehi, who is expected to remain on the wing rather than revert to fullback for the injured Tom Trbojevic against Cronulla.

The standout moment for Lehi, according to Will, was the day he took a cross-field kick and then rifled a pass back infield in one motion for a Tommy Talau try against Newcastle.

But despite his stellar rise, Lehi has not let the success go to his head. He still returns home after most games at Brookie and celebrates by playing PS5 with his friends. He’s the best of the Hopoate’s at that, too.
 
Team P W L PD Pts
24 19 5 243 44
24 17 7 186 40
24 16 8 275 38
24 16 8 222 38
24 15 9 89 36
24 14 10 96 34
24 13 10 113 33
24 12 12 -40 30
24 12 12 -127 30
24 11 13 -1 28
24 11 13 -126 28
24 10 14 -70 26
24 9 14 -62 25
24 8 16 -168 22
24 7 17 -155 20
24 7 17 -188 20
24 6 18 -287 18
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