Former NRL player John Hopoate has taken to social media to unleash a stunning tirade against Wests Tigers' CEO Shane Richardson and Wide World of Sports journalist Tony Adams, also known as The Mole.
Adams reported that Hopoate has been banned from all future Tigers functions after allegedly having a run in with NSWRL chairman Dave Trodden at a recent event.
It's understood the run in came during the Tigers' 25-year anniversary event last Friday after the NSWRL refused to clear Hopoate to play alongside family members including son Will in a local third grade competition, per a Sydney Morning Herald report.
Tigers CEO Shane Richardson said it was disappointing to see the incident.
“It was a really disappointing way to end what was an excellent night,” Richardson told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“‘Hoppa' was in Dave's face about why he had been barred from the NSWRL. I'll tell you now, he's not welcome at any future Wests Tigers functions.”
Hopoate has defended his innocence, claiming he never crossed the line.
“I didn't cross the line with Dave,” Hopoate said.
“There were no dramas, I just asked Dave Trodden why the NSWRL would not clear me to play.
“I never abused him, I never threatened him, and all he kept saying was, ‘This is the wrong time'.
“I asked him why it wasn't the right time because I wasn't given a reason in any emails.
“All I wanted to do was play third-division at Narraweena with my son Will and some of my first cousins this year. The comp is on a Saturday, which was perfect. We wanted it to be a family affair.
“Before I was banned, clubs were being told to forfeit if I did get approved to play. The only thing I did wrong was swear at him.”
But Hopoate didn't stop there, instead taking to his own Facebook page to launch a expletive-laden tirade at both Adams and Richardson.
The scarcely believable tirade saw Hopoate take extremely personal shots at both Adams and Richardson, with the former NRL player in one of the nicer parts of his post suggesting no one likes Richardson, before explaining he didn't care that he had been suspended for life from Tigers functions.
Neither Trodden, Richardson or Adams have commented on Hopoate's Facebook post, which was made on Monday evening.