Northern Eagles
As he had publicly humiliated both himself and his former club, most thought his career would be over. However, his former employers in the Manly reserve grade side signed him onto their books for the remainder of the season where his good form earned him a call-up to the Northern Eagles first grade side late in the season.
Hopoate ran 3,976 metres with the ball over the 2002 NRL season, more than any other player in the competition.
The following year his form finally began to pick up as he went on to score ten tries for the Eagles before the club disbanded in 2003.
Read more about this topic: John Hopoate
Famous quotes containing the word northern:
“For generations, a wide range of shooting in Northern Ireland has provided all sections of the population with a pastime which ... has occupied a great deal of leisure time. Unlike many other countries, the outstanding characteristic of the sport has been that it was not confined to any one class.”
—Northern Irish Tourist Board. quoted in New Statesman (London, Aug. 29, 1969)