- He came off the bench and produced huge yards in the Bulldogs’ big win.
- It was a debut to remember with his entire family in the stands.
- The club publishes a video of the emotional moment that he told his mother
The Bulldogs have discovered a star of the future in forward Lipoi Hopoi and now the club has shared the emotional moment he told his mother he would be making his NRL debut.
Hopoi has been working hard at reserve grade for the Sydney Roosters and Bulldogs for years before finally getting his chance against the Knights on Friday night.
He also grabbed the opportunity with both hands, coming off the bench to play 38 minutes and produce a harrowing 15 runs for 121 meters in the 32-2 win.
And he had plenty of support in the stands, including his mother, who he told the day before that he was going to make his NRL dream come true.
Bulldogs debutant Lipoi Hopoi lets tears flow as he tells his mother he has earned a chance in the NRL.
As soon as Lapoi called his mother, his instincts kicked in and he immediately asked, ‘What’s wrong? Are you OK?’
After reassuring him that he was fine, Lapoi asked him if he would take the family to watch him play as a reserve against Newcastle.
He confirmed that everyone went up and left “around three or four.”
“You don’t have to shut up because I’m making my NRL debut,” he said.
His mother’s reaction would bring a tear to a glass eye.
‘Oh my god, are you serious Lipoi?’ she asked as she burst into tears.
‘Are you happy?’
He replied, “Yes, I am, I haven’t realized it yet.”
“Oh my God, Lipoi, this is all you’ve worked for,” she said, still crying.
‘Let me say a quick prayer for your favor.’
Hopoi has been working hard as a reserve for the Bulldogs and made the most of his NRL debut with 15 runs for 121 meters off the bench.
Hopoi’s mother said her late Nana (pictured) would be very proud of the work he put in to achieve his NRL dream.
Then, as Lipoi’s mother began to pray, reality set in for the Dogs’ final player and he began to cry, too.
The tears continued to flow as Lipoi’s mother said, “your Nana would be so proud of you.”
His grandmother recently passed away and his social media profile shows a picture of him with her to honor her memory.
“Take advantage of this opportunity, son,” his mother said.
‘You have worked very hard for this. I’m so proud of you…my heart, I can’t stop.’
The emotional exchange also brought many tears to the football world, and even non-Bulldogs fans were left teary-eyed watching the video.
‘How am I crying in a Westfield food court over this?’ one asked.
“Bro it made me cry, what an amazing player and what a great debut, he absolutely played his heart out and has such a bright future,” another posted.
“I love these videos but there’s always some bastard chopping onions nearby when I watch them,” added another.
