LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Lehi Hopoate, a rising star of the Manly Sea Eagles, has recently found himself in the midst of significant negativity despite his accomplishments. This unfortunate turn of events follows an accidental collision that has drawn unwarranted criticism directed at him online.
According to his father, John Hopoate, Lehi is "hurting" due to the backlash after the incident that left his Tonga teammate, Eliesa Katoa, in need of brain surgery. The collision took place earlier this month during Tonga's warm-up ahead of their match against New Zealand, where Hopoate and Katoa collided while vying for a high ball.
Although the incident was captured by television cameras, the footage has not been provided to Tonga officials. It clearly shows the moment Katoa was knocked unconscious due to the impact. Katoa experienced multiple head injuries during both the warm-up and the match, which culminated in him exhibiting seizure symptoms while on the sidelines, necessitating his immediate transfer to a hospital in Auckland.
He required medical intervention to drain fluid from his brain and is currently still under care. Despite the collision being deemed accidental, Hopoate continues to face a wave of abusive remarks on social media, highlighting the challenges athletes can face even in moments that are purely unintentional.