Napa, Hopoate among 10 players to depart Bulldogs

Canterbury hope to farewell Will Hopoate with a win against Wests Tigers on Sunday but there is unlikely to be a club farewell for Dylan Napa after he was named as a reserve.

Hopoate and Napa are among 10 players leaving the Bulldogs after the round 25 match at Redcliffe’s Moreton Daily Stadium but only the Tonga captain, Melbourne-bound fullback Nick Meaney and hooker Sione Katoa have been selected to play the Tigers.

Napa, who played for Queensland as recently as 2019, is available again after serving a three-match suspension but was not included in the 17-man line-up announced on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old was one of four players named on an extended reserves bench, along with rookies Watson Heleta and Kiko Manu, who are also looking for new clubs after finishing at Belmore, and playmaker Jake Averillo.

The Bulldogs will be bolstered by the arrival of Josh Addo-Carr, Matt Burton, Brent Naden, Tevita Pangai jnr, Matt Dufty and Paul Vaughan next season and are clearing the decks after finishing 15th and 16th in the last two years.

Hopoate will re-unite with Tonga coach Kristian Woolf at Super League club St Helens, while Meaney is moving to Melbourne, prop Renouf Atoni has been linked with Sydney Roosters and second-rower Chris Smith is set to take up a train and trial deal with Brisbane.

Napa, Katoa, Heleta, Manu, Lachlan Lewis, Dean Britt, James Roumanos and Brad Deitz have not be offered contract extensions by the Bulldogs.

Canterbury CEO Aaron Warburton thanked the 10 players for their efforts while at the club.

"I'd like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the Bulldogs, to thank all of the players that are departing at the end of this season, for their efforts during their time at Belmore,” Warburton said.

"Every player is a part of Bulldogs' history and will always be welcomed back to the club. We now wish each of them, and their family, all the best for the future."

Hopoate has been a favourite with Bulldogs fans since joining the club in 2016 and the former NSW Origin representative will bow out of the NRL after 123 appearances for Canterbury, 38 with Parramatta and 22 for Manly.

He won a premiership with the Sea Eagles in 2011 before leaving the game to complete a two-year Mormon mission and join the Eels in 2014.

During his six seasons with the Bulldogs, Hopoate has scored 24 tries and has set up many more with his quick hands and understanding of the game.