Sean "Shoppe" Edward Hoppe (born 19 January 1971) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand.
As a junior, he played for the Glen Innes Falcons, a feeder club to Ellerslie during the 1980s.
Hoppe then joined the Northcote Tigers and played for them in the Auckland Rugby League competition. In 1989 he was part of the Tigers Fox Memorial and Lion Red National Knockout title winning side. He was a part of several other Northcote winning teams during these years and scored two tries in the 1991 Lion Red League final. In 1992 he played for Auckland in a preseason match against the Canberra Raiders. Auckland lost 14–32, but the Raiders, who had been looking for a quality winger since the retirement of John Ferguson, saw enough of Hoppe to offer him a contract and he moved to Canberra before the end of the year.
Hoppe played 17 games in his first season and won the Raiders' 1992 Rookie of the year award. Hoppe was the New Zealand Player of the Year in 1993. However at the end of the 1993 season it was announced that Hoppe had signed for the new Auckland Warriors side who were to enter the competition in 1995. Canberra Raiders were unwilling to sign Hoppe for just one more year and so he joined the North Sydney Bears for the 1994 season and thus missed the Canberra Raiders 1994 Grand Final win over Canterbury-Bankstown (North Sydney lost the Grand Final qualifier to the Canberra Raiders). He was part of the Auckland Warriors inaugural side in 1995 and became a regular first team player. He was voted the competition's best winger in 1995 and his 19 tries in the 1995 season remained a club record until 2003 (when it was surpassed by Francis Meli). He is currently fourth on the club's all-time try scoring list with 44.
Signed for a five-year contract, he was released by the Auckland Warriors near the end of the 1999 season so he could join St. Helens in the Super League competition. Hoppe joined St. Helens on a short-term deal but then signed a two-year deal with the club. Hoppe played for St. Helens from the interchange bench in their 1999 Super League Grand Final victory over Bradford Bulls.
Having won the 1999 Championship, St. Helens contested in the 2000 World Club Challenge against National Rugby League Premiers the Melbourne Storm, with Hoppe playing at centre and scoring a try in the loss. He played for St Helens at centre, scoring a try in their 2000 Super League Grand Final victory over Wigan Warriors. As Super League V champions, St. Helens played against 2000 NRL Premiers, the Brisbane Broncos in the 2001 World Club Challenge. Hoppe played on the wing in Saints' victory. His contract was later extended for another year and he retired at the end of the 2002 season. Hoppe played for St. Helens from the interchange bench in their 2002 Super League Grand Final victory against the Bradford Bulls. His last two matches in 2002 were a Test match against France for the New Zealand national rugby league team followed up by playing against the Kiwis for his club side, St Helens. Hoppe captained St. Helens in his last match.
Sean Hoppe - Wikipedia
Full Name
Sean Edward Hoppe
Nickname(s)
Grass
Born
Tuesday, 19th January, 1971
Awards & Accolades
Dally M Winger Of The Year
1995
Biography
Flying Kiwi winger scored two great tries, including a spectacular intercept, to set up NZ's 14-all draw in the First Test in Auckland in 1993. Hoppe played in all three Tests of the Trans Tasman series but was cut from the Canberra club at year's end for signing a letter of intent with the Auckland Warriors. After playing in two Tests against Great Britain on the 1993-94 Kiwi tour of England and France he spent the 1994 season giving good service to Norths - ironically taking the place of his NZ Test teammate Darryl Halligan. Hoppe played for the Warriors in the club’s formative years before signing with St Helens for three seasons (1999-01). In 2000 he represented the māori team in the World Cup.
- ALAN WHITICKER
Sean 'Grass' Hoppe - Playing Career - RLP
A summary of the career stats for Flying Kiwi winger scored two great tries, including a spectacular intercept, to set up NZ's 14-all draw in the First Test in Auckland in 1993. Hoppe played in all three Tests of the Trans Tasman series but was cut from the Canberra club at year's end for...
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