John Hopoate is not just a headline – he’s quite a few. The former hardman has made the news yet again and earned yet another nomination for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes; the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while NRL star Talatau Amone is the most recent recipient.
The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame honours former players and players who received media attention in previous seasons, for similarly scandalous behaviour, and its inductees include Ben Cousins and Julian O’Neill.
Hopoate has been charged with road rage after video surfaced on the internet of him standing over another man. The former winger apparently posted the video to his own social media account, and commented:
“When you’re (six-foot-eight) and think your size can intimidate anyone when you get out of your car and punch my mirror and swung at me during your road rage,” he wrote.
“You get the B***H slapped out of you and you start yelling HELP ME RAPE. Then run to the cops like the little B***H that you are and make a complaint lol.
“Doesn’t it suck that you got slapped and cried like a mutt, then ran and made a complaint and nothing is going to happen cause you started it lol.”
After the case was taken to police, it was discovered that Hopoate was allegedly driving on a suspended licence.
Ooops!
The crazy thing is, Hopoate is already in the hall of fame, so he doesn’t need the nomination. He was inducted in 2016 for many off-field scandals and is most famous for inserting his finger into the anus of other players during games.
Why does he do it?
He’s protecting a reputation. His own and that of The Frownlow Medal.
Hopoate is also building a family legacy.
He has 11 children, and four of them have played NRL. One is in prison.
Jamil was sent to prison for multiple offences while brothers Will, Albert and Lehi sit on the other end of the spectrum. Will famously stepped away from the game in his prime in order to take up a religious mission. Lehi, meanwhile, has played a few NRL games for Manly and has so far avoided controversy, as has Albert, who plays for Canberra.
John and Jamil will be invited to the awards night for The Frownlow Medal and The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame later this year, but Will is likely to be at church praying for their salvation.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 