Hoppa To Make a ComeBack

[Canteen Worker]

Ex Manly star John Hopoate is to make a Rugby League comeback. He announced that he is to play for the Cromer team in the Manly A Grade competition. He is reported to say that he will work hard to control his aggression.

There are no plans for him to make a NRL comeback at this point.

See the Telegraph TV interview on http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

By Christian Nicolussi and Dean Ritchie
  February 29, 2008




http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23294032-5001023,00.html

    BAD boy John Hopoate is back playing rugby league and last night revealed his ambitious plans to play again for Manly.
Hopoate will run out this season with Manly A-grade side Cromer after his NSWRL suspension was reduced.
Hopoate, 34, has not played competitive football since being kicked out for a vicious elbow on Cronulla's Keith Galloway in 2005, earning him a 17-match suspension.
Manly will not entice Hopoate back despite the former winger training with the club three times a week.
But Hopoate, now a professional boxer with eight wins from 10 bouts, wants one more chance to end his career on a positive and is starting with the Cromer Kingfishers.
"The chances of me coming back to the NRL would be a million to one," Hopoate said.
"Plus, I don't like the chances of an NRL club picking me up.
"But that's not to say I wouldn't be up to the NRL. If anything, my time in boxing has probably taught me to control my aggression.
"I'm fit from the boxing and I've still been training with the Sea Eagles a couple of times a week. They use me as their battering ram for the boys to practice tackling.
"I'd love to go back to Manly and finish where I started but I wouldn't be in the position to have a preference."
Hopoate was suspended until 2010 for abusing a junior league official nearly three years ago. But the suspension has been cut after he completed refereeing, first-aid and coaching courses and assisted with junior league.
Hopoate expects plenty of attention from rivals in park football but says he won't retaliate.
Asked whether Manly would sign Hopoate, chief executive Grant Mayer said: "There would be plenty of guys ahead of him. I am totally surprised he wants to come back given he's been out of the game for so long.
"But I wish him all the best in his endeavours."
NSWRL chief executive Geoff Carr confirmed Hopoate was permitted to play again.
"As I understand it, John is free to play," Carr said. "The people from our end dealing with him have been really impressed with his desire to promote junior sport.
"John can make a real contribution as long as he controls his temper and handles himself."

 

[clontaago]

Good on him, hopefully he has turned the corner, finally.

As for NRL though, at 34, not a chance. 

 

[Chip and Chase]

There are very few players that I can say I am embarrassed about having worn the Maroon and White, however Hoppa is without a doubt on top of that list.

 

[ManlyBacker]

This way at least he won't be swearing at children from the sideline. His boxing career was marred by a failure to control his emotions when under pressure and the "King of the Ring" will probably be easily baited on the footie field once again. Then there are the famous brain explosions. Good luck to him but deep down you know it is going to end in a familiar backpage headline.

 

[fLIP]

You spend too much time around Mundine and you think you can do anything.