‘It’s time to change’: NRL bad boy John Hopoate pledges support for children in hospital

Ex-NRL bad boy John Hopoate skipped church on Sunday, but he insists he was still doing the Lord’s work. Watch him speak at a charity function in Sydney.

John Hopoate is the patron of the charity, Business with A Heart. Picture: Supplied

Ex-NRL bad boy John Hopoate skipped Sunday church service to help sick children in hospital while he completes 100 hours of knitting for community service for a driving offence, saying: “I’ve got eleven children, I can’t stand watching kids suffer.”

The repeat offender – a Morman who has lived in the shadow of NRL notoriety for poking several opposition players in the backside – has been made a patron of Business with A Heart, which provides teddies to hospitalised children traumatised from life threatening illnesses or major medical procedures.

The quick-tempered former sportsman, 51, now a construction worker, told a high tea for the children’s charity at Visy Dior Hotels International in Norwest in the Sydney Hills District: “I didn’t go to church today but I’m still doing God’s work.

“I’m here because I was in trouble and I was doing community service, and I was drawn to this charity because I wanted to give something back.

“There’s nothing that makes me more sad than seeing kids sick, or being abused, I have children myself, - eleven - that’s all my wife’s fault,” he joked.

“As a parent, you feel bad when you see any child in pain. So when I was asked to help I didn’t hesitate.

“As part of my community service, I knit scarves or jumpers for children to keep them warm. Making teddy bears to make children smile is special. I’m more than happy to do this.”

John Hopoate pictured at high tea with (left to right) Emilia, six, Matthew, four and Gabriella Cantali, two, and George Carlini, two. Picture: Supplied

Hopoate was sentenced last month to community service work as part of an intensive correction order, which involves the supervision of Community Corrections.

The former Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers winger was convicted in Manly Local Court for driving a work truck while his licence was disqualified.

John Hopoate is the patron of Business with A Heart and a guest speaker at the charity’s high tea. Picture: Supplied

The needlecraft program, designed by NSW Corrective Services to teach patience and goal focus and give offenders a chance to repay the community, has given him “the calmness and time to reflect on his past actions.”

The former NRL star is in discussions with a group of psychologists and mental health experts to devise a program for teenagers with behavioural problems to overcome their challenges at school.

His son Will Hopoate, a retired Tonga international rugby league and NRL players, initiated the project “Will to Succeed”, a teaching and mentoring program for youths.

John Hopoate with a board member Rose Cantali of Business with a Heart at a high tea to raise awareness of the charity. Picture: Supplied.

The new program will involve his father John, who has first-hand experience in getting into trouble.

“If I can tell teenagers of the experiences I have had so they don’t follow in the same footpaths, I hope to do some good – it’s better to hear from someone who has ‘messed up’ than someone who just tells you what to do,” John said.

“I’ve experienced racism as a kid coming up as a junior and on the footy field, I did not always feel I fitted in with the Australian culture,” he said.

“I felt the racism within the NRL, I’ve messed up on the pitch, I’ve made mistakes.

“But time and age makes you realise the error of your ways,” he said.

Designer Steven Khalil is also running on board with this charity, designing a wedding gown for one of the bears to be auctioned.

His plan is to invite other Australian designers to join in the move to design clothes for bears to put a smile on the faces of children facing health challenges.

“Children are the future, a lot of friends’ children have been affected by leukaemia and cancer, I’m designing and sewing a Steven Khalil couture wedding dress for a bear and raising funds for those children,” he said.

Founder Tania Mastroianni said “We’re grateful to have two individuals from different walks of life, who have experienced their own challenges, to give up their time for our charity.”

Originally published as ‘It’s time to change’: NRL bad boy John Hopoate pledges support for children in hospital