Lehi Hopoate

[BOZO]

Great Manly Players make our Legendary Manly Jersey Stand out !

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Des Hasler had a tendency to hold back young classy players and persist with the tried proven and pedestrian Parkers in our backline .

A common myth.
Who selected the likes of Brett Stewart, Kieren Foran, Will Hoppa?
What Des did not do was select people in 1st grade 'just to see how they'd go'.
He picked them when he judged they were ready, and I reckon he's a pretty good judge of a rugby league player.

 

[BOZO]

A common myth.
Who selected the likes of Brett Stewart, Kieren Foran, Will Hoppa?
What Des did not do was select people in 1st grade 'just to see how they'd go'.
He picked them when he judged they were ready, and I reckon he's a pretty good judge of a rugby league player.

Des Hasler is a Manly Legend and at his peak he was colossal
In his later and not so greater years his selections were predictably puzzling
He kept out young Koula and persisted with the predictable and pedestrian Parker and Harper

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Des Hasler is a Manly Legend and at his peak he was colossal
In his later and not so greater years his selections were predictably puzzling
He kept out young Koula and persisted with the predictable and pedestrian Parker and Harper

Incorrect.

He picked Koula at just 19 to start the 2022 season and kept him in the side the whole year (and he has continued ever since).

If you think Des erred by not picking him as an 18yo in 2021 then that's your opinion, but bear in mind 'pedestrian' Parker and Harper were part of a top 4 side in 2021 that broke scoring records.

You are right in that Des was conservative in his selections, as he knows the value of experience and physical maturity in NRL, but when classy young players are ready he does select them.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Smart coaches use everything at their disposal. Levi and turbo must both be in our starting 13.

 

[Frogz]

The Good news is that The Manly Great Premiership Winning Father John is still young enough to father more Great Hopoate players
John Hoppa has to be the best Manly Breeder of all Manly time
John Hoppa is a Manly player DNA Genetic Genius

John Hopoate is an absolute disgrace of a human. Pity we cant delete him from the records. IMO. He has bought the club, the NRl and his family into disrepute and continues to carry on like the f#ckwit he is. Should be desexed now, so it stops any chance of breeding another clone of himself. The world only deserves one.

 

[HoldenV8]

The Good news is that The Manly Great Premiership Winning Father John is still young enough to father more Great Hopoate players
John Hoppa has to be the best Manly Breeder of all Manly time
John Hoppa is a Manly player DNA Genetic Genius

Lets be perfectly honest here Bozo. If not for the fact that the Hopoate's have proven to be a rugby league talent production line, and the fact that we can't deny that John is a Manly Premiership winner from 1996 ... the club would likely have cut all ties John Hopoate years ago.

Talented player, but also could be a brainless thug on the field. Seriously, if Jim Comans had still been head of the judiciary during John Hopoate's time, to use his quote to Steve Mortimer ... rugby league would have been but a memory for him long before he knocked Keith Galloway senseless. And TBH more trouble than he is personally worth to the club off the field. Its only because his kids have proven to also have rugby league talent that we even keep him around.

 

[manlyfan76]

My only caveat about Lehi is that he seems to lack genuine SPEED. e.g. could not go with Turbo when he scored that intercept try. Hopefully as Lehi matures physically he will improve his running capability.

Lehi had to turn and chase.

 

[Dion Johnson]

EAGLES SWOOP ON HOPPA​

Manly have opened talks with teenage sensation Lehi Hopoate over an extension and upgrade that would catapult him into the club’s top 30 squad.

Hopoate was one of the finds of last season but remarkably remains on a development deal despite scoring nine tries in 14 games, capping his year by making his international debut for Tonga.

The Sea Eagles are keen to award him for his breakthrough season with an upgraded deal that would include at least one more year on his contract - his current deal expires at the end of next season.

Hopoate was rewarded for his year with the Ken Arthurson rising star award at Manly’s end-of-season celebration and his versatility makes him a valuable commodity, providing the Sea Eagles with an insurance policy for superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic.

Peter Badel, Travis Meyn, Brent Read

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Do we need both Raymond and Schoupp as back-ups? Or maybe we'll try to schoupp one of them off somewhere

 

[Tragic Eagle]

EAGLES SWOOP ON HOPPA​

Manly have opened talks with teenage sensation Lehi Hopoate over an extension and upgrade that would catapult him into the club’s top 30 squad.

Hopoate was one of the finds of last season but remarkably remains on a development deal despite scoring nine tries in 14 games, capping his year by making his international debut for Tonga.

The Sea Eagles are keen to award him for his breakthrough season with an upgraded deal that would include at least one more year on his contract - his current deal expires at the end of next season.

Hopoate was rewarded for his year with the Ken Arthurson rising star award at Manly’s end-of-season celebration and his versatility makes him a valuable commodity, providing the Sea Eagles with an insurance policy for superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic.

Peter Badel, Travis Meyn, Brent Read

I cant believe it hasn't already happened.

 

[BOZO]

If you think Des erred by not picking him as an 18yo in 2021 then that's your opinion, but bear in mind 'pedestrian' Parker and Harper were part of a top 4 side in 2021 that broke scoring records.

I do think that if a young 18 year old player is good enough he is old enough to replace the most underwhelming centres we had in Parker and Harper .


You say that Parker and Harper were part of the top 4 side that broke scoring records

I say Parker and Harper were no tackle breaking , record breaking try scores who held us back from going further in the finals

Happy Valentines Day feathered friend and we will agree to disagree

 

[Bearfax]

Bring back Noel Cleal. He knew how to break a tackle or four.

 

[BOZO]

Lets be perfectly honest here Bozo. If not for the fact that the Hopoate's have proven to be a rugby league talent production line, and the fact that we can't deny that John is a Manly Premiership winner from 1996 ... the club would likely have cut all ties John Hopoate years ago.

Talented player, but also could be a brainless thug on the field. Seriously, if Jim Comans had still been head of the judiciary during John Hopoate's time, to use his quote to Steve Mortimer ... rugby league would have been but a memory for him long before he knocked Keith Galloway senseless. And TBH more trouble than he is personally worth to the club off the field. Its only because his kids have proven to also have rugby league talent that we even keep him around.

Hoppa like all people has his strengths and his weakness feathered friend
Few people have the Character and the Ability to Win Grand Finals

 

[BOZO]

Bring back Noel Cleal. He knew how to break a tackle or four.

This the 2025 Version of Noel Cleal feathered friend

The Great Olakau'atu

 

[Bearfax]

And a top forward he is. Cleal played much of his career in the forwards, but also did some stints in the centre and broke one or two tackles there

 

[manlyfan76]

I cant believe it hasn't already happened.

Maybe just publicized now

 

[Brookie Bob]

And a top forward he is. Cleal played much of his career in the forwards, but also did some stints in the centre and broke one or two tackles there

Started as a centre and moved to the 2nd row - like Randall & Rambo Gibbs. At one point we had Cleal and Close (if I remember correctly) playing in the centres; must have been RL's biggest pairing.

 

[SeaEagleSI1]

 

[Seagles68]

View attachment 29331

I reckon Lehi could hide behind the thigh of the brother on the far left