John Hopoate has received a life ban from Wests Tigers functions after a expletive filled tirade at the club’s 25-year anniversary dinner last Friday.
According to various reports of the incident, the 50-year-old, who played 28 games for the Tigers in the early 2000s, allegedly confronted NSWRL chief executive David Trodden, after the NSWRL refused to lift a 10-year ban that would have allowed him to play a local third grade match with his son, Will.
Hopoate’s 10-year ban relates to an incident at a Manly A-grade match between Narraweena and Forestville back in 2018, where he pleaded guilty to striking and contrary conduct that resulted in him receiving a five year suspension, with another five suspended on top of that.
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Are too many players sent to sin bin? | 07:14
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According to a report from The Daily Telegraph, guests described Hopoate grabbed Trodden’s arm before launching a expletive-filled attack at the executive.
“Hopoate said to Trodden: ‘Explain to me why I can’t play?’ David said a few times: ‘John, you know why you can’t play’. Hopoate kept going and Trodden said: ‘Now isn’t the time,’ the report stated.
“You can imagine all the names Hopoate then starting calling Trodden at that point. He called Trodden a ‘dog, c..t’. It was full on and disgusting. The function was full of people.”
No police action has been taken against Hopoate, who has since denied abusing or threatening Trodden, although conceded he did swear at the NSWRL chief executive.
“I didn’t cross the line with Dave,” Hopoate told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“There were no dramas, I just asked Dave Trodden why the NSWRL would not clear me to play.
“I never abused him, I never threatened him, and all he kept saying was ‘this is the wrong time.’
Confirming the incident’s occurrence, Tigers CEO Shane Richardson expressed disappointment at the ordeal, before confirming Hopoate would not be welcomed at similar events in the future.
“Hoppa’ was in Dave’s face about why he had been barred from the NSWRL. I’ll tell you now, he’s not welcome at any future Wests Tigers function.”
Source Agencies
