Hopoate finds form for resurgent Bulldogs

Canterbury fullback Will Hopoate is too quietly spoken to declare himself back to his best after returning from a serious facial injury.

But his football did that for him on Saturday night – screaming from the ANZ Stadium rooftop as he played a key role in Canterbury’s 16-10 win over Canberra.

In his first game in seven weeks, Hopoate set up the match-winning try and totalled 295 metres for the Bulldogs – easily the most of any game in his six-season NRL career.

“I’m going to take a lot of confidence out from that – no doubt,” a humble Hopoate said.

“I didn’t want to come in and let the boys down.

“I was really itching to get out there and play football and hopefully I showed that.”

Hopoate has endured a difficult return to first grade since suffering the facial fracture in the Bulldogs’ round-two loss to the Roosters.

He was cleared by a surgeon late last week to return to contact, and was named on an extended bench for the Bulldogs.

However, he said seven weeks in recovery could have helped his fitness in the long term.

“We were talking about it in the sheds and those sessions are helping a lot,” he said.

“I think every player knows in rehab it’s not too fun in there. They flog you, cardio and conditioning.

“I’ve been really trying to work on elevating my mindset.”

Hopoate was one of a number of standout performers for the Bulldogs on Saturday night.

After they lost captain James Graham (concussion) and departing five-eighth Josh Reynolds (hamstring) in the first half, they were forced to play out the match with just two men on the bench.

Despite that, they overcame a six-point halftime deficit against the highly-rated Raiders, with forwards Aiden Tolman, Adam Elliott and Josh Jackson all playing 80 minutes.

“Without them we don’t come away with the win,” Hopoate said.

“I can honestly say if I was to get chucked in there and play in the middle I wouldn’t last 10 minutes.

“They’re tackling, they’re wrestle, they get up and down, and then they’re back for tackle two and three taking the hit-ups.”

Hopoate also declared himself a certain starter for Tonga next Saturday against Fiji at Campbelltown.