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This is the last I'll mention about the subject....
Demonising Hoppa's become an ugly ritual
By WENDY HARMER
June 21, 2004
The NRL's treatment of John Hopoate is unfair and heavy-handed considering the other problems in rugby league, argues WENDY HARMER.
THE NRL should be down on their knees thanking the Good Lord for John Hopoate. After a season of turmoil allegations of group rape, obscene phone calls, brawls at nightclubs and casinos they've finally nailed someone!
What a pity John didn't save his on-field aggression and call a strange woman in the middle of the night, suggest group sex and call her a foul four letter name? Why didn't he just break someone's nose? Take performance-enhancing or recreational drugs? Why didn't he go out and get roaring drunk, get into a stoush in public and resist arrest by the police? Or call a press conference and infer that the referee was biased? Or indeed do something that would bring the entire game into disrepute?
Because if he'd done any of these things he would have at best copped a fine and at worst been out for one game and happily playing out the rest of the season. Now you might know that I'm a Manly fan and a Manly fan with a chip on both shoulders is someone who has a balanced personality.
But folks, there are times when a double standard is so glaringly obvious that we Manly fans have to stand up to the rest of you and say, "Fair go".
Hoppa does have a fiery temperament on field OK, he's a big mouth but why does name-calling cop a nine-week suspension and a sickening head-high tackle doesn't?
Hoppa-baiting has now become a favourite pastime for rival fans and players.
Everyone loves a villain. But when the referees are engaging in the same pastime it's not fair!
Tune in to the ref's call of the game and you will hear, "Watch Hoppa, he's trouble", as soon as he steps on the field.
All through the game it's, "Watch Hoppa, watch Hoppa", chanted like a mantra for 80 minutes.
Even Gus Gould recently commented on telly that Hoppa was unfairly and routinely penalised. And you wonder why Hoppa gets upset? He got sin-binned for saying: "Is that why you're referee, cos you can't play the game?"
If that's the worst a referee's ever heard, I'd be staggered.
You don't have to be a lip reader to decipher the four letter words which rain down on them even during State of Origin when our finest players are on show in front of millions.
I, and every other Manly fan, noted with interest that former referee Bill Harrigan was interviewed extensively about John's career. Hello? Former referee? Do you see me getting up and having a spray about what's on breakfast radio these days?
By the way Bill, nowhere did you preface your remarks with speaking as a person employed by the Sydney Roosters. Come on Bill, we know you don't like Hoppa we've all read your book. In this latest incident, after being told to shut it by someone in the tunnel, Hoppa bit back and it wasn't pleasant.
But he said he did not realise that this bloke, Darren Alchin, dressed in a tracksuit, was an interchange official.
Our football manager Peter Peters told the judiciary: "There are people in tunnels and dressing rooms in a variety of tracksuits and [players] wouldn't know who they were." Good point.
If this is shocking behaviour, let's apply it to all clubs. Every tunnel must have video monitors and microphones and all officials should wear gear which clearly identifies them.
No one can defend the famous finger-poking incident when Hoppa played for Wests Tigers, but Hoppa took the entire blame and did his time. From what I understand, everyone in the squad knew what was going on and cheered him on. (Curiously, if it was such a heinous crime, why didn't any player on the receiving end of this treatment give him a belting?) He has paid a bigger price for this than anyone could possibly imagine.
JOHN Hopoate has done nothing on the footy field which would have seen him charged in civil court. And yet his reputation a man's most prized possession is in ruins.
Not every player who pulls on a boot, or steps into a sporting arena, has to be a role model.
Some of the names which have made this game great have been rough blokes with flawed personalities. If you take them all out we'll be left with a hollow replica of the real thing.
If John Hopoate serves his time there should be nothing which prevents him from playing out his career with Manly.
The NRL and media have to have a better reason for depriving a man of his livelihood and passion merely because they are sick of him.
This would be a miscarriage of natural justice.
Wendy Harmer is a retired radio broadcaster and Sea Eagles tragic
Demonising Hoppa's become an ugly ritual
By WENDY HARMER
June 21, 2004
The NRL's treatment of John Hopoate is unfair and heavy-handed considering the other problems in rugby league, argues WENDY HARMER.
THE NRL should be down on their knees thanking the Good Lord for John Hopoate. After a season of turmoil allegations of group rape, obscene phone calls, brawls at nightclubs and casinos they've finally nailed someone!
What a pity John didn't save his on-field aggression and call a strange woman in the middle of the night, suggest group sex and call her a foul four letter name? Why didn't he just break someone's nose? Take performance-enhancing or recreational drugs? Why didn't he go out and get roaring drunk, get into a stoush in public and resist arrest by the police? Or call a press conference and infer that the referee was biased? Or indeed do something that would bring the entire game into disrepute?
Because if he'd done any of these things he would have at best copped a fine and at worst been out for one game and happily playing out the rest of the season. Now you might know that I'm a Manly fan and a Manly fan with a chip on both shoulders is someone who has a balanced personality.
But folks, there are times when a double standard is so glaringly obvious that we Manly fans have to stand up to the rest of you and say, "Fair go".
Hoppa does have a fiery temperament on field OK, he's a big mouth but why does name-calling cop a nine-week suspension and a sickening head-high tackle doesn't?
Hoppa-baiting has now become a favourite pastime for rival fans and players.
Everyone loves a villain. But when the referees are engaging in the same pastime it's not fair!
Tune in to the ref's call of the game and you will hear, "Watch Hoppa, he's trouble", as soon as he steps on the field.
All through the game it's, "Watch Hoppa, watch Hoppa", chanted like a mantra for 80 minutes.
Even Gus Gould recently commented on telly that Hoppa was unfairly and routinely penalised. And you wonder why Hoppa gets upset? He got sin-binned for saying: "Is that why you're referee, cos you can't play the game?"
If that's the worst a referee's ever heard, I'd be staggered.
You don't have to be a lip reader to decipher the four letter words which rain down on them even during State of Origin when our finest players are on show in front of millions.
I, and every other Manly fan, noted with interest that former referee Bill Harrigan was interviewed extensively about John's career. Hello? Former referee? Do you see me getting up and having a spray about what's on breakfast radio these days?
By the way Bill, nowhere did you preface your remarks with speaking as a person employed by the Sydney Roosters. Come on Bill, we know you don't like Hoppa we've all read your book. In this latest incident, after being told to shut it by someone in the tunnel, Hoppa bit back and it wasn't pleasant.
But he said he did not realise that this bloke, Darren Alchin, dressed in a tracksuit, was an interchange official.
Our football manager Peter Peters told the judiciary: "There are people in tunnels and dressing rooms in a variety of tracksuits and [players] wouldn't know who they were." Good point.
If this is shocking behaviour, let's apply it to all clubs. Every tunnel must have video monitors and microphones and all officials should wear gear which clearly identifies them.
No one can defend the famous finger-poking incident when Hoppa played for Wests Tigers, but Hoppa took the entire blame and did his time. From what I understand, everyone in the squad knew what was going on and cheered him on. (Curiously, if it was such a heinous crime, why didn't any player on the receiving end of this treatment give him a belting?) He has paid a bigger price for this than anyone could possibly imagine.
JOHN Hopoate has done nothing on the footy field which would have seen him charged in civil court. And yet his reputation a man's most prized possession is in ruins.
Not every player who pulls on a boot, or steps into a sporting arena, has to be a role model.
Some of the names which have made this game great have been rough blokes with flawed personalities. If you take them all out we'll be left with a hollow replica of the real thing.
If John Hopoate serves his time there should be nothing which prevents him from playing out his career with Manly.
The NRL and media have to have a better reason for depriving a man of his livelihood and passion merely because they are sick of him.
This would be a miscarriage of natural justice.
Wendy Harmer is a retired radio broadcaster and Sea Eagles tragic
