Banned Manly junior rugby league mentor John Hopoate has followed through with his threat to save his coaching career by taking the NRL to the NSW Supreme Court.
Fairfax Media is reporting Hopoate lodged papers on Friday afternoon, asking for the court to declare the NRL had no jurisdiction over the NSWRL-run SG Ball under-18s competition.
The NRL has claimed the former international is not of fit and proper character to mentor young and impressionable men.
In the papers, submitted on Friday, Hopoate seeks to determine a declaration that he has the right to be engaged by the Sea Eagles as a SG Ball coach; that the NRL has no jurisdiction over the SG Ball competition; that the NSWRL has full jurisdiction over the junior competition; and that the NRL and any judiciary panel do not have jurisdiction to prohibit Hopoate coaching in the competition.
Hopoate stood down as coach of his team last weekend to prevent the Sea Eagles receiving a breach notice.
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In his affidavit, Hopoate said: "Out of respect for the club, I have voluntarily stood down from coaching SG Ball as the Manly Sea Eagles have been threatened with a breach notice attracting enormous fines and threatening loss of points to the club."
