John Hopoate says his son Lehi has been targeted on social media after being involved in a sickening accidental collision with Tonga teammate Eli Katoa earlier this month.

Katoa needed surgery to have fluid drained from his brain after suffering three separate head knocks before and during the match against New Zealand on November 2. The Melbourne Storm prop remains in hospital in Auckland.

Hopoate has come under fire from trolls who accused him of showing little care after the pair collided while contesting a high ball in the warm-up. TV cameras captured the sickening footage of Katoa being wiped out by the blow, but the vision was not made available to Tonga team officials .

Katoa was cleared to play by a Tonga medico, only to suffer two more head knocks during the game. After bei

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