Hopoate looking at new no-Sundays clause

Will Hopoate will again ask to be allowed to put his faith before footy and request a no-Sundays clause in his next NRL deal.

Hopoate also revealed he was yet to decide if he would play in Canterbury’s Sunday clash with the Sydney Roosters in just over two weeks.

The Canterbury fullback and ex-NSW representative is again facing losing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars as he seeks to have it inserted into his contract to exempt him from playing and training on Sundays due to his Mormon beliefs.

And while he could pay a heavy toll and limit his desirability in the eyes of potential suitors, he said religion meant everything and it was a price he was willing to play.

“In a perfect world absolutely I’d like it in my next contract,” Hopoate told AAP as he prepares to captain Tonga in Saturday’s Pacific Test against Fiji in Campbelltown.

“But I understand we don’t live in a perfect world and you don’t get everything you want.”

The 24-year-old is off contact at season’s end and has been linked with the Wests Tigers as a replacement for Roosters-bound James Tedesco.

With Aaron Woods arriving at Belmore next year and the club believed to be close to a deal with Kieran Foran, the Bulldogs are facing a salary cap squeeze.

Hopoate proved his worth, running for over 300 metres in his return from a six-week injury lay off due to a fractured eye socket against Canberra last Saturday.

He had the no-Sundays clause inserted into his two-year deal when he signed with the Bulldogs from Parramatta and was last year given the sabbath off by coach Des Hasler.

The Dogs are attempting to persuade him to play on Sundays this year.

The NRL draw has only been announced to round 20 and the Bulldogs have been drawn three Sunday games until then – against the Roosters in round 11, Penrith in round 13 and Newcastle in round 18.

“That’s in the contract and Des has spoken to me about it and no doubt we’ll chat about it next week and come to a formal agreement,” Hopoate said.

“My faith means everything to me and at the same time I’ve got a duty to my employers.”

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