Jamil Hopoate has become the second player NRL club Manly have sacked in barely a week.
The Sea Eagles confirmed on Thursday they had terminated Hopoate’s contract after the 20-year-old was sentenced to a minimum of one year in jail for a violent assault.
Last week Manly tore up the contract of prop Zane Tetevano after his court appearance on domestic violence charges.
Manly issued a statement on Thursday afternoon saying Hopoate’s sacking was with immediate effect and that the NRL’s integrity unit had been informed of the decision.
Moments later Hopoate’s brother and Parramatta star Will offered a message of support on social media.
“We still a team amongst the challenges.. I love my brother jhopoate #hopoate #family,” he posted on Instagram along with a photo of Jamil and his siblings with father John.
Jamil Hopoate – the second eldest son of former NRL bad boy John – on Wednesday pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company following an attack on Alexander Christie and “good Samaritan” Timothy Blackett outside a Manly hotel in February.
He was sentenced to a maximum of 18 months for the attack on Christie and a two-year good behaviour bond over the assault on Blackett.
The Sea Eagles were also forced to dump Tetevano last week after he pleaded guilty in court in Newcastle to eight of 11 assault charges.
The Sea Eagles had only offered Tetevano a one-year contract last month.
Tetevano pleaded guilty to charges including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, destroying property, common assault and stalking with intention to inflict fear or physical harm.
He will be sentenced on March 5.
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