Broncos train-and-trial spotlight: Unburdened by his controversial name, Sione Hopoate is making waves in Brisbane

He carries the burden of one of rugby league’s most controversial names, but 26-year-old train-and-trial hopeful Sione Hopoate is on the creating his own NRL legacy at the Broncos. Pre-season training analysis.

One of the most controversial surnames in rugby league is making waves at the Broncos with the son of Manly legend John Hopoate eyeing a Brisbane contract upgrade.

Sione Hopoate has impressed new Brisbane coach Michael Maguire with a bumper pre-season that has secured the hulking outside back his first Broncos trial - and a possible longer-term deal.

Nicknamed the ‘Tongan Cowboy’, Hopoate Jr will start on the wing in Saturday night’s hitout against Burleigh at Pizzey Park, sweet reward for a late-blooming 26-year-old who is playing for his future on a train-and-trial deal.

But such has been his outstanding attitude over summer, Maguire likes what he sees in Hopoate and says the son of a gun has the potential to challenge for an NRL spot this season.

Sione is a dead ringer for his old man and when you watch him lace up his boots at Broncos training, you could be forgiven for thinking ‘Hoppa’ is back in action.

At 183cm and 95kg, Sione is a well-built utility back with a maturity and versatility that could make him handy back-up for frontline threequarters Selwyn Cobbo, Deine Mariner, Jesse Arthars and Kotoni Staggs.

“Sione has worked really hard in the pre-season,” Maguire said.

“I’m really pleased with him and that’s why he’s playing a trial this week against Burleigh.

“He has definitely created an opportunity for himself.

“He was coming through our system and we’ve put him on a train-and-trial (deal).

“This trial is a great opportunity for Sione to showcase what he’s got after all the hard work he’s done.”

Sione’s father John was one of the most talented yet reviled athletes in rugby league.

Now 51, Hopoate played 209 games during a colourful 12-year career between 1993-2005 that saw the blockbusting Manly winger represent NSW and Australia’s World Cup winning squad in 1995.

But Hopoate’s fine career was overshadowed by a series of wild antics. He copped 45 weeks in suspensions, including 12 matches for finger-poking three Cowboys players in 2001, and in 2018 was banned from rugby league for 10 years following a brawl at a Manly A-grade match.

Hopoate’s other son Jamil played 12 games for the Broncos in 2020, only to be released at the end of that season following an off-field incident.

But Sione is determined to avoid trouble and arrives at the Broncos after two seasons with feeder-club Wynnum Manly, with whom he scored 14 tries from 39 Hostplus Cup appearances, including 20 games last year.

Fellow Broncos outside back Delouise Hoeter lauded Hopoate’s application and says he isn’t fazed by the burden of a controversial footballing surname.

Train-and-trialist Latrell Siegwalt.

Brisbane Broncos player Va’a Semu.

“Sione is his own person and stands up,” Hoeter said.

“He says he is the Tongan Cowboy.

“He went to the Luke Combs concert (at Suncorp Stadium a fortnight ago) and he thinks he is a country boy.

“He knows that there has been a bit of a past (with the Hopoate surname) but is making his own legacy for himself and he gets to make a statement on the weekend.

“He has been awesome. He has done really well in this pre-season, he has gotten stronger, he came pretty high up in testing.

“Sione has definitely been one of the biggest improvers in the club.

“He is a bit of a joker, but when he rolls up the sleeves, he is really good at training.

“His family would be proud of him and I’m sure that all 20 of them are going to be there at Burleigh on Saturday night.”

Originally published as Broncos train-and-trial spotlight: Unburdened by his controversial name, Sione Hopoate is making waves in Brisbane