Lehi Hopoate will become the fifth sibling and a sixth member of his family to play NRL on Friday night

John Hopoate has an interesting NRL legacy which will grow on Friday night when his fifth child turns out at the top level.

Manly’s Levi Hopoate . Picture: Damian Shaw

The Hopoate family will become the first to have five siblings play NRL and NRLW this century, with teenage star Lehi to debut for Manly against Melbourne on Friday night.

As Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold raised the prospect of playing Tom Trbojevic at centre when he returns from injury in July in an attempt to look after his body, Hopoate is set to debut at fullback in the superstar custodian’s absence following an injury to Tolu Koula.

Lehi Hopoate, 19, is the youngest of eight children of ex-Manly winger John Hopoate and will join his father in representing the club joining brothers Will, Albert and Jamil in having played in the NRL, while his sister Kalosipani has played 13 NRLW games for the Sydney Roosters.

“It’s really special. He’s a terrific young kid,” Seibold said of Lehi.

“He did the pre-season with us and he did such a good job we took him out to Vegas just for the experience.

“You see a lot of young outside backs coming into the game at the moment, full of speed and energy and that high-tempo type play.”

Lehi’s elevation to the NRL team takes the Hopoates beyond the four Sims that have played NRL and NRLW this year, and beyond the quartets from the Burgess, Mata’utia and MacDougall clans.

Next man up 🚨

Lehi Hopoate set to debut in tomorrow night's clash against the Storm. #GoManlypic.twitter.com/xltAxCjRmH

— Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (@SeaEagles) May 22, 2024

Manly will take on a Storm outfit missing Ryan Papenhuyzen and Cameron Munster and with halfback Jahrome Hughes on the comeback from injury at Brookvale Oval.

But the home side is also without Matt Lodge (biceps) and Lachlan Croker, who is out indefinitely with an inner-ear issue after suffering a concussion three weeks ago.

“The good thing is it’s got nothing to do with the brain,” Seibold said.

“But it could be days or it could be weeks to try and clean that up. He’s been a little bit up and down with regards to how he’s been feeling.”

Seibold is also facing a contract battle amid reports talks about a possible extension have broken down amid a losing run.

But he’s coaching for the future and is thinking about how to play Trbojevic when he returns from his latest hamstring issue to get the bets out of him for longer.

“Turbo and myself have had conversations around what we can do to help him,” Seibold said.

“We’ll see how Tolu goes at fullback over coming weeks and see how Turbo’s feeling about his body.

“His best position has always been fullback.

“But he’s done a really good job at Origin level as a centre and I think he could play as a No.6 at some stage in his career as well.”

Originally published as Lehi Hopoate will become the fifth sibling and a sixth member of his family to play NRL on Friday night