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Follow the lead of John Hopoate
who will do anything to win. If you don't believe this story,
click the links to read it on the Internet.
If you are a Chaos team
member who ends up in a scrum in a corner, remember this trick - after
all, you will have hockey gloves on (hopefully). It's not like
there is anything you can do to make those gloves stink any worse.
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8 March 2001
LEAGUE JUDICIARY HOPOATE SENTENCE - SYDNEY
Hopoat banned for "interference"
Hopoate gets 12 weeks for unsportsmanlike interference. Former Australian rugby league international John Hopoate was banned for 12 weeks Wednesday after being found guilty of "interfering" with opponents.
The Wests Tigers winger was said to have jammed his fingers up the backsides of three North Queensland players during a match last weekend. NRL judiciary commissioner Jim Hall said: "I must say in my 45 years involvement in rugby league I've never come across a more disgusting allegation than I've had to deal with now."
Hopoate denied the charges, but television replays appeared to support them. Hopoate, who is as well known for his antics off the field as his ability to score tries on it, continued his protest, saying he thought he had nothing to answer for.
"I'm a great believer in what happens on the field should stay there," he said.
But the graphic accounts of Hopoate's three victims helped condemn the giant Tongan-born winger to another lengthy suspension. "There was pressure there. I know he wasn't doing it accidentally. He was definitely pushing," said North Queensland player Paul Bowman. "I was disgusted. I couldn't believe it."
"It wasn't a wedgie. That's when your pants are pulled up your arse. I think I know the difference between a wedgie and someone sticking their finger up my bum," said one of the victims Peter Jones, admitting that while both acts caused discomfort, they caused different sensations and he could differentiate between the two.
Jones claimed he hadn't provoked Hopoate and that afterwards he immediately expressed his "disgust" and gave the Tongan international a push.
Bowman said after tackling Hopoate in the 17th minute, he stood over the winger and "that's when I felt fingers outside my shorts pushing up my arse".
"There was pressure there. I know he wasn't doing it accidentally. He was definitely pushing.
"I was disgusted. I couldn't believe it. I know it's a tough game, but there's no room for that."
Gross argued that Bowman had been excessive in trying to slow Hopoate from playing the ball by grabbing the North Queensland captain's leg.
But Bowman maintained that "if he (Hopoate) was a man, he wouldn't do that".
When pressed by Gross, Bowman became angry and asked the QC: "If I held your leg, would that give you the right to put your finger up my arse?"
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