tries, finishing second in the top try-scoring table to teammate Steve Menzies. He was instrumental in Manly's good form leading into the finals series but Manly lost to the Bulldogs. The Tongan rugby league team looked to pick Hopoate based on his nation of birth for the 1995 World Cup but the ARL selected him in the Kangaroos team under the residency rule. He played in the opening match of the cup yet failed to score and then made a vital mistake that became the turning point in a match that was eventually won by the English team. In the following match, against the South African team, Hopoate scored three times in the 86 to 6 victory. In his fourth season at Manly, Hopoate was again instrumental in his team's fortunes. He began the season slowly in comparison to his previous year with only five tries over the first twenty rounds of the season but his defence had improved immensely; helping his team to concede less tries. He scored another six tries for the season including four in one game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs and ultimately helped his Manly team to their first premiership in over eight years. In the 1997 season, Hopoate again started the season slowly, scoring only two tries in twelve games but in the round twelve match against the St. George Dragons he scored three tries and continued his form scoring eight tries in his next six games and a total of fifteen for the season. 2000-01 Wests Tigers Signing for the newly merged Wests Tigers in 2000 Hopoate scored just five tries in the season. He was suspended several times during the season, including being charged with 'contrary conduct' in a late season game against Melbourne resulting from over ten separate incidents in that game. In 2001, Hopoate began the season poorly, scoring only one try in several games, before involvement in incidents of inserting his fingers into the backsides of three players resulting in his being suspended for twelve weeks and agreeing to part ways with the Tigers club. 2001-02 Northern Eagles Hopoate thought his career would be over. However, his former employers in the Manly reserve grade team 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 team late in the season. Hopoate ran 3,976 metres