Son of a gun to create new NRL record
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.