Lehi Hopoate

[Eagle 1]

Didn’t his brothers say the same thing.

That might of been the Fainu's
Just sayin'.

 

[LeonardCohen]

As much as John can display some questionable behaviours, he still bled in a Manly jumper and played in grand finals and won a premiership with us. For that reason, seeing the surname in Manly colours is kinda nice…it feels like it belongs on a Manly team sheet.

 

[eagleron]

That first try was just scorching speed, they couldn't go with him, completely stood up 2 defenders on his way to a try.

And Burbo's try he only had to step off his right and pretty much fall over the line, he reminds me very much of Snake, he's got a huge future, I hope it's with us

 

[eagleron]

The measures seem to be 'missed tackles' and 'ineffective tackles'. May fall into one of those categories. Manly's defense was again problematic against St George. Stats indicate Manly had 38 missed tackles to St George's 39. But Manly had a whopping 40 ineffective tackles to St George's 5. An issue unresolved. Fortunate that the attack is on song.

One of our biggest problems is that we don't lock the ball up, every side we play goes on an offload fest every game we play, we are faced with so much second phase play because of this inability, surely the coaching staff can see what we see ffs

 

[Eagle 1]

And Burbo's try he only had to step off his right and pretty much fall over the line, he reminds me very much of Snake, he's got a huge future, I hope it's with us

yeah, other clubs will be circling soon, need to sign him up on a longer deal asap.

 

[double hoops]

I'll admit that I am torn on this one.

I just see it this way.

It's time to try something new.

Turbo's missed big chucks of many season now. Most years we never recovered from Turbo's loss. We were a one trick pony team and couldn't win with out Turbo.

Now that this team has grown, the club has unearthed an amazing young talent.

Why go backwards? And once again go all chips in on Turbo? It's just undoing everything as a team you've worked years to achieve.

It's not like Turbo hasn't been given years to win this club a premiership at fullback..

Turbo will add to this team no matter the no on his back. Be it at centre. At five eight. Playing a mix of the two. He dead set destroyed Parra one year just running from dummy half like a second hooker.

This team can and will be more dangerous with both Lehi and Turbo in it. Start treating every game like it's do or die. Because it is.

When its round 18 and our seasons on an edge. But our fullbacks firing and Lehis calling the shots in defence. I'm not messing with that.

The least disruption to the team is for our brilliant Turbo to learn a new role, as opposed to the team all changing their ways again for him.

Does he come off the bench. Is he super sub.

Other teams might have worked him out defensively at full back, and their entire game plan is on stopping our turbo jet.

So let em have the same worry trying to stop turbo when they have no idea where he's playing, or how he gets used regardless of where he lines up that week.

 

[G-land Express]

So let em have the same worry trying to stop turbo when they have no idea where he's playing, or how he gets used regardless of where he lines up that week.

That would be insanely good.

 

[bringbackbeaver]

got to find a spot for him and 1 looks to be that spot. I think it means Talau misses out and Gaz needs to go back to the wing / kick goals. Not fair on Talau as he’s been great and I think his form is better than Saab.
Won’t be too much of a headache. Turbo will come back, play 4-5 games and get injured again.

 

[Eagledare2dream]

Can't wait till he put on another 15kg, what's he now bout 70kg.
Look at his old man he's fast and bout 100kg. He tried to hold them from scoring great effort but imagine trying to hold LMitchell or BBest from scoring.

 

[manlyfan76]

Thankfully twenty isn't coach, Lehi is much better than Walks at fullback.

Seibold saw enough of Hoppa in the off season to take I'm to Vegas and is being repaid now. Good coaching.

 

[Disco]

Loving Hoppa, he looks great.

I'll reserve my decision till round 18 as you never know who is available.

Buuut Lehi is young, it wont be the end of the world if he gets a taste then drops back to NSW for a game or two till the next opportunity arises.

No rush on him

 

[Bearfax]

I mean did Manly actually want to keep any of the others? Will was obviously the best but that was a big contract he got.

People can criticise Manly for not getting a big-name recruit but it's because they have kept most if not all of the players they have wanted to in recent memory.

I doubt the club will let Tom's replacement slip away.

In part I agree Rocky. If another club makes a big offer such as was offered to Will Hopoate, Foran and JWH, there's little that can be done if Manly can't fit them in their salary cap. Just business. Gone are the days when Arthurson had access to big money and no salary cap and could ensure that he kept every player he wanted to keep. Also Manly, as has been shown, is no longer one of the wealthier clubs, who despite the salary cap, have other means of enticement, not just healthy TPAs.

The issue is more about decision making by Manly before the fruit has ripened. Some of these players aren't being heavily enticed elsewhere and the salaries that can be offered are not breaking the bank. What I keep suggesting is the need for more patience with young players, because once you've let them go, shown them the door, they've almost permanently flown the coup with little interest in returning. I wouldn't go back to a place where I wasn't wanted. That's why DCE backing out of a healthy deal when he wasn't wanted at Manly and then coming back, is so unusual. Holding onto them for a while longer isn't going to cost a fortune and it may fail. But better to fail than have no opportunity of succeeding. The issue about the Guthersons, Tom Wrights, Weekes etc is not about them specifically. They've gone. Its about the principle of retaining young players you've nurtured and then letting them go before you've really got a sense of what they can become. What a waste of effort. Instant gratification thinking. That's what Wests have done and why they've lost a wealth of great talent and now sit near the bottom most years.

Hold onto them until you know what they can do. Not every player is going to start brilliantly like young Lehi Hopoate, or like Toovey did. More often they need time to adapt to first grade standards. Find their feet.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

If Lehi maintains his current form it will be madness to drop him. Good form warrants selection. We can get turbo back on the field elsewhere. Seibs need to do what’s best for the team not to please individual players.

 

[manlyfan76]

From zero tackle

It has been confirmed that Hopoate has signed a three-year contract for the Manly Sea Eagles. A local promising junior, Lehi will be on a supplementary contract in 2025 before moving to the club's Top 30 roster in 2026.

Rising through the club's ranks since the age of 12, Hopoate was a key figure in the club's undefeated Harold Matthews Cup Premiership winning team in 2021 before later becoming the captain of the team.

 

[Rocky]

In part I agree Rocky. If another club makes a big offer such as was offered to Will Hopoate, Foran and JWH, there's little that can be done if Manly can't fit them in their salary cap. Just business. Gone are the days when Arthurson had access to big money and no salary cap and could ensure that he kept every player he wanted to keep. Also Manly, as has been shown, is no longer one of the wealthier clubs, who despite the salary cap, have other means of enticement, not just healthy TPAs.

The issue is more about decision making by Manly before the fruit has ripened. Some of these players aren't being heavily enticed elsewhere and the salaries that can be offered are not breaking the bank. What I keep suggesting is the need for more patience with young players, because once you've let them go, shown them the door, they've almost permanently flown the coup with little interest in returning. I wouldn't go back to a place where I wasn't wanted. That's why DCE backing out of a healthy deal when he wasn't wanted at Manly and then coming back, is so unusual. Holding onto them for a while longer isn't going to cost a fortune and it may fail. But better to fail than have no opportunity of succeeding. The issue about the Guthersons, Tom Wrights, Weekes etc is not about them specifically. They've gone. Its about the principle of retaining young players you've nurtured and then letting them go before you've really got a sense of what they can become. What a waste of effort. Instant gratification thinking. That's what Wests have done and why they've lost a wealth of great talent and now sit near the bottom most years.

Hold onto them until you know what they can do. Not every player is going to start brilliantly like young Lehi Hopoate, or like Toovey did. More often they need time to adapt to first grade standards. Find their feet.

I would like more younger players to be coming through but in saying that there are few that have moved on that we have regretted. So that shows me that the staff have a better idea than us. The only guy that i think would have got a consistent run this year would be Samuela Fainu. But Manly essentially got Brooks in return and upgraded guys like Haumole and Koula who are cornerstones. So I can live with that.

I'm not going to rehash all of the guys that have left that i don't think the club even thinks about these days. Most of them are fringe first graders at best.

 

[JenEagle]

I would like more younger players to be coming through but in saying that there are few that have moved on that we have regretted. So that shows me that the staff have a better idea than us. The only guy that i think would have got a consistent run this year would be Samuela Fainu. But Manly essentially got Brooks in return and upgraded guys like Haumole and Koula who are cornerstones. So I can live with that.

I'm not going to rehash all of the guys that have left that i don't think the club even thinks about these days. Most of them are fringe first graders at best.

Gutho was the one we should have kept and was on contract. He would have been a stronger player and cheaper than Dylan walker and could have covered most spots in the backline between 2016 and now. Local junior who did not want to leave and a huge loss and massive historical mistake in my opinion.
Just my opinion.

I also don’t buy this rubbish that we couldn’t have kept him and Tom. Utter rubbish as we he was a local
Junior as stated above and on a
Small contract in 2015 to 2017.

 

[ALinda]

If Lehi maintains his current form it will be madness to drop him. Good form warrants selection. We can get turbo back on the field elsewhere. Seibs need to do what’s best for the team not to please individual players.

Totally agree. I wish Seibs also applied this what's-best-for-the-team to Garrick too.

 

[ALinda]

From zero tackle

It has been confirmed that Hopoate has signed a three-year contract for the Manly Sea Eagles. A local promising junior, Lehi will be on a supplementary contract in 2025 before moving to the club's Top 30 roster in 2026.

Rising through the club's ranks since the age of 12, Hopoate was a key figure in the club's undefeated Harold Matthews Cup Premiership winning team in 2021 before later becoming the captain of the team.

This is awesome news and hopefully it should deter his father from shopping him around. Thank you @manlyfan76!

 

[manlyfan76]

This is awesome news and hopefully it should deter his father from shopping him around. Thank you @manlyfan76!

The article is older one but it checks out

 

[XV-1]

From zero tackle

It has been confirmed that Hopoate has signed a three-year contract for the Manly Sea Eagles. A local promising junior, Lehi will be on a supplementary contract in 2025 before moving to the club's Top 30 roster in 2026.

Rising through the club's ranks since the age of 12, Hopoate was a key figure in the club's undefeated Harold Matthews Cup Premiership winning team in 2021 before later becoming the captain of the team.

Errrh
I think he will be in the top 30 in 2024.