John Hopoate: ‘I was sent off for a slap’
ORTHERN beaches rugby league identity John Hopoate says he was sent off for slapping an opponent in an A-grade rugby league game on Saturday night.
Manly
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NORTHERN beaches rugby league identity John Hopoate says he was sent off for slapping an opponent in an A-grade rugby league game on Saturday night.
“I was stupid for what I did and I apologise,” the former NRL bad boy told the Manly Daily.
“It was a slap. If I threw a punch he would be sleeping.”
Hoppa got his marching orders while playing for Narraweena against Forestville at Beverley Job Park after going on as a second-half replacement.
“I wasn’t even going to play, they were short,” he said.
Hopoate said he did tell a Forestville player he would bash him on the field. But he denied making any threats when he was on the sideline.
The 44-year-old now faces another trip back to the judiciary on Wednesday night.
Hopoate has now been charged with a medium range striking offence which carries a four-match ban from rugby league.
He has also been charged with three Code of Conduct offences which have been referred directly to the NSWRL Conduct Review Panel.
“I am confident our Conduct Review Panel will deal with the matter appropriately, ”s aid NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden.
“NSWRL will make further comment after the judiciary process has been completed.”
Hopoate livened up the game when he took the field 14 minutes into the second half -and lasted three and a half minutes.
He was penalised for a high shot in his first tackle.
And after the next tackle a spectator said “all hell broke loose” when a Forestville player threw the ball at a Narraweena rival after a niggling tackle.
After a touch judge report Hopoate was sent off and a Forestville player sin-binned.