Sunday suddenly on Will’s agenda

CANTERBURY won’t allow Will Hopoate to skip Sunday matches in any future NRL deal after he agreed to go back on the agreement for the rest of this season.

The off-contract Bulldogs fullback will fulfil a request from the club to play on Sundays but in a “perfect world” he admits he wouldn’t be doing so.

This weekend’s clash with the Sydney Roosters will be Hopoate’s first Sunday match since joining the Bulldogs last year, when the devout Mormon made himself unavailable on the Sabbath Day.

However that will no longer be the case, with Dogs chief executive Raelene Castle confirming the Sunday clause will be a part of no future deal .

“If we’re going to sign Will to a new contract next year, that would need to include playing Sundays,” Castle said.

Hopoate said he understood the request from the Bulldogs.

“In a perfect world I wouldn’t play,” Hopoate said. “It’s something I’ve been churning over quite a bit in my heart and mind. Obviously I’d love not to.

“But at the same time I have a duty to my employers and that’s the Canterbury Bulldogs at the moment.”