LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
The latest news from seaeagles.com.au is all about Lehi Hopoate, who made his NRL debut look like just another 'game'.
The 19-year-old full-back had a dream start to his career, shining brightly in Manly's thrilling 26-20 win over the Melbourne Storm in NRL Indigenous Round at 4 Pines Park on Friday night.
A proud local junior who came up through the Manly pathways program, Hopoate had been training with the Sea Eagles all week due to concerns over full-back Tolu Koula's shoulder injury.
Coach Anthony Seibold broke the news to the young player at the team's final training session the day before the match.
Hopoate came out on the field and absolutely smashed it, making 16 runs, providing two try assists, breaking three tackles, and racking up 113 run metres.
The humble, and cheeky, Hopoate later admitted that he didn't expect to have such a huge impact.
Overall, Hopoate's debut performance was a true testament to his talent and hard work.
Fans and teammates alike are looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the team in future games.