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Exiled NRL star Jamil Hopoate spills on drugs spiral
Sacked NRL star Jamil Hopoate has revealed how he threw away his NRL career as a result of alcohol, cocaine and gambling issues.
Outcast NRL player Jamil Hopoate has revealed his downwards spiral into a life of drugs, alcohol and gambling began when he was first sacked by Manly at the age of 20.
The former Broncos forward has been sacked from all three NRL clubs he has played for.
The 27-year-old has now revealed everything about his personal issues in an interview with The Daily Telegraph.
Hopoate’s new comments come after he faced Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on Thursday after he was arrested over allegedly accessing a truck linked to a massive $154-million cocaine haul at Port Botany in May 2021.
He was charged with one count of large commercial drug supply.
The court matter has been adjourned until May 5.
Hopoate was granted bail in July last year with strict conditions.
Hopoate was released by the Broncos at the end of the 2020 season and failed to land any new deal with a Sydney club after moving to live in Dee Why on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Hopoate — the son of controversial ex-footy player John Hopoate — has now said he becomes a “monster” when consuming alcohol.
He also admits his life fell apart as a result of cocaine, alcohol and gambling binges.
“Booze turns me into a monster – I don’t know how to say no,” he said.
He has previously said he has had a problem with alcohol since he was 15-years-old.
He previously served jail time in 2014 after assaulting two men outside a pub in Sydney’s northern beaches — after which he was sacked by the Sea Eagles.
He says he turned to alcohol to cope with depression and the pressure of having a career in the NRL.
He admits he was jealous and felt inferior compared to his brother, Will, who is playing in the Super League for St Helens. The speedster played State of Origin for NSW in his second season — becoming the second-youngest player to ever be selected for NSW.
Jamil Hopoate played 12 games for the Broncos last year but was sacked before the start of 2021 season after pleading guilty to assaulting his partner, Shae Beathe.
Breathe, who is the mother of one of Hopoate’s two children, is standing by him.
He narrowly avoided jail time as a result of the incident in Port Macquarie and was handed a 12-month intensive corrections order which required him to abstain from alcohol.
“I drink until I drop; alcohol is the devil to me, I get black outs, I’m either zero or one hundred, sober or pissed,” he said.
“I drank a lot that day and was losing on the pokies, I was trying to win it back and wanted money from my partner, but she rightly wouldn’t give it to me, we were arguing.
“I pushed her … it was s*** of me.
“When I’m on the piss, I sometimes take charlie (cocaine) too, I never crave it when I’m sober, I spend whatever money I have on me on the day, it could be hundreds of dollars or thousands over the course of three days.
“Drink turns me into an asshole.”
Now he claims he is committed to cutting alcohol out of his life.
“I don’t want to be that guy, but I’m in a better place now. I don‘t drink. I’ve hung up my party boots,” he said.
“I’ve turned off the stop button and learned the hard way how to say no.”
He said in 2020 he was determined to save his rugby league career.
“Being inside (jail), watching football, I took it for granted,” Hopoate said at the time.
“I took everything for granted actually. I didn’t realise how good I had it. Going inside made me realise what I had and how precious it is, to be playing footy.
“I did a year (in jail). It was scary. You’re wasting life sitting in jail, wasting my career.
“I thought my career was over so that hurt too. I’ve been away from my daughter, my family and friends — it was more hurtful than scary.”
Unfortunately not the only NRL player with that affliction.
Always a Bulldog
Sacked NRL star Jamil Hopoate has revealed how he threw away his NRL career as a result of alcohol, cocaine and gambling issues.
Outcast NRL player Jamil Hopoate has revealed his downwards spiral into a life of drugs, alcohol and gambling began when he was first sacked by Manly at the age of 20.
The former Broncos forward has been sacked from all three NRL clubs he has played for.
The 27-year-old has now revealed everything about his personal issues in an interview with The Daily Telegraph.
Hopoate’s new comments come after he faced Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on Thursday after he was arrested over allegedly accessing a truck linked to a massive $154-million cocaine haul at Port Botany in May 2021.
He was charged with one count of large commercial drug supply.
The court matter has been adjourned until May 5.
Hopoate was granted bail in July last year with strict conditions.
Hopoate was released by the Broncos at the end of the 2020 season and failed to land any new deal with a Sydney club after moving to live in Dee Why on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Hopoate — the son of controversial ex-footy player John Hopoate — has now said he becomes a “monster” when consuming alcohol.
He also admits his life fell apart as a result of cocaine, alcohol and gambling binges.
“Booze turns me into a monster – I don’t know how to say no,” he said.
He has previously said he has had a problem with alcohol since he was 15-years-old.
He previously served jail time in 2014 after assaulting two men outside a pub in Sydney’s northern beaches — after which he was sacked by the Sea Eagles.
He says he turned to alcohol to cope with depression and the pressure of having a career in the NRL.
He admits he was jealous and felt inferior compared to his brother, Will, who is playing in the Super League for St Helens. The speedster played State of Origin for NSW in his second season — becoming the second-youngest player to ever be selected for NSW.
Jamil Hopoate played 12 games for the Broncos last year but was sacked before the start of 2021 season after pleading guilty to assaulting his partner, Shae Beathe.
Breathe, who is the mother of one of Hopoate’s two children, is standing by him.
He narrowly avoided jail time as a result of the incident in Port Macquarie and was handed a 12-month intensive corrections order which required him to abstain from alcohol.
“I drink until I drop; alcohol is the devil to me, I get black outs, I’m either zero or one hundred, sober or pissed,” he said.
“I drank a lot that day and was losing on the pokies, I was trying to win it back and wanted money from my partner, but she rightly wouldn’t give it to me, we were arguing.
“I pushed her … it was s*** of me.
“When I’m on the piss, I sometimes take charlie (cocaine) too, I never crave it when I’m sober, I spend whatever money I have on me on the day, it could be hundreds of dollars or thousands over the course of three days.
“Drink turns me into an asshole.”
Now he claims he is committed to cutting alcohol out of his life.
“I don’t want to be that guy, but I’m in a better place now. I don‘t drink. I’ve hung up my party boots,” he said.
“I’ve turned off the stop button and learned the hard way how to say no.”
He said in 2020 he was determined to save his rugby league career.
“Being inside (jail), watching football, I took it for granted,” Hopoate said at the time.
“I took everything for granted actually. I didn’t realise how good I had it. Going inside made me realise what I had and how precious it is, to be playing footy.
“I did a year (in jail). It was scary. You’re wasting life sitting in jail, wasting my career.
“I thought my career was over so that hurt too. I’ve been away from my daughter, my family and friends — it was more hurtful than scary.”
Unfortunately not the only NRL player with that affliction.
Always a Bulldog
