St Helens star Will Hopoate has sadly left the club and had to retire due to injury.
The versatile outside back played fullback, wing, centre and in the halves for St Helens even playing at both wing and at fullback when they won the 2022 Grand Final against the Leeds Rhinos.
Though his time at St Helens was strong, he didn’t lose a game in 2022, Hopoate would be in and out of the side due to injury returning from injury just in time to feature in the Grand Final back in 2022.
Now Hopoate has spoken about being forced to retire on James Graham’s The Bye Round: “Had you asked me five or six years ago, I thought I’d play to 33, 34, but the body wasn’t holding up as I’d like.
“I just kept doing my hammies and my knee was sort of playing up over the past couple of years. I tried everything under the sun to get it right but I suppose I just couldn’t handle the load and intensity of professional rugby league.
“I was ticking all the boxes at training and things like that but you can’t really mimic game scenarios and come game day it just kept going on me.”
Either way, Hopoate has loved his time in England: “I loved England, to be honest, and so did my wife and kids. We loved our time over there.
“I think we knew because obviously, we were always going to come back to Australia to live. So we knew, man, when am I ever going to get this opportunity to move to the other side of the world and be played to play the sport that I love? When is that ever going to happen?
“So moving over there, we just really enjoyed the people, the culture, even the weather. People talk about the weather. It’s cold. I don’t mind the cold.
“It’s the wet though, but cold, I don’t mind the cold. Rugging up, big puffer jacket beanies and things like that.”
St Helens star joins new club
Now retired, Hopoate has set up his own business: “So I run my own business with my business partner, it’s called Will to Succeed.
“We are self-development facilitators, and we’ve been going around to different schools, youth groups, organizations, and businesses, and sharing principles that I learned throughout my career that can apply to any career path.
“We share how these organizations can create a culture of success. For example, for those young kids in school who are trying to figure out what’s next after school, trying to help them figure out what their strengths are and what occupations align with their strengths and give them the tools that they need to create the life that they want. So that’s the new dream and goal.”
But he has also linked up with NRL giants the Sydney Roosters – “I’m also actually doing some work with the Roosters in the pathways, in the wellbeing space.
“When I knew I was finishing up I just contacted some of the people that I know in the NRL that are in the wellbeing space and said, ‘Hey, if something comes up then let me know’.
“I enjoy working with the younger generation and helping them and this opportunity came up so I’m grateful to the club for allowing me to do this.