The NSW state government has put forward a development application that anticipates 30 NRL games per year will be played at the new Parramatta stadium though the Eels are the only club to have committed to the venue.
Hopoate is likely to be sidelined for at least a month of football and stands to miss more action in quick succession with Canterbury scheduled for Sunday games in rounds eight, 11 and 13.
Canterbury may turn to exciting youngster Marcelo Montoya after Will Hopoate was taken to hospital and Kerrod Holland suffered a shoulder injury in Thursday's loss to the Sydney Roosters.
He could be the buy of the season and won man of the match honours, but it didn't stop Luke Keary from being caught in Roosters coach Trent Robinson's crosshairs after the Tricolours recorded their best ever start under the premiership-winning coach.
You know what happened the last time the Roosters finished in the bottom four? They won it all the next. Everyone rolled out the near worst-to-first headlines, the comebacks, revival stories. There's every chance they might be ready to do it again.
Follow full live coverage as the Roosters host the Bulldogs.
Des Hasler's long-term tenure at Canterbury remains unclear and the head coach is not the only one under the early-season microscope.
The NRL is adamant it has not "left the door open" for a proliferation of punching to return to the game after two players were fined rather than suspended.
The Bulldogs playmaker blamed himself for Canterbury's round-one defeat to Melbourne but ahead of Thursday's showdown against the Sydney Roosters his teammates are not hearing any of that.
Ricky Stuart branded Michael Ennis "disrespectful" and told him to "grow up" - and the retired veteran's premiership-winning teammates won't be straying anywhere near the same fine line with a similar Viking Clap celebration upon their Canberra return.
Josh Reynolds was "filthy" on himself, but he won't be as upset when he sees the statistics at how much more involved he will be in the Bulldogs' attack in 2017 compared to last year.
"Real news", Des? You don't beat Craig Bellamy and Melbourne in the opening round. Not now. Not ever. Probably not again.
​Canterbury coach Des Hasler has channelled his inner Donald Trump to rubbish suggestions he's on the outer with the NRL club.
Canterbury will need to end one of the NRL's most remarkable streaks if they are to get their 2017 campaign off to a winning start against Melbourne.
Des Hasler has taken the leash off Moses Mbye and Josh Reynolds – now watch them run.
Canterbury captain James Graham says players will continue to be frustrated when they are forced from the field with head knocks, but believes the NRL should be lauded for implementing protocols that protect them from themselves.
Brett Morris knows this wasn't the way the story was meant to go. Signed to the Bulldogs as a representative player on a long-term deal to wear the No.1 jersey, things haven't gone to script for one of the most prolific try-scorers of the modern era.
Kerrod Holland looks set to secure a starting spot in the Canterbury line-up after a stellar performance in the Bulldogs' four-point NRL trial game win over Melbourne.
Canterbury captain James Graham has made the stark admission the renowned September specialists may have crumbled under the pressure of expectation during their meek finish to last season.
With 17 days remaining until the start of the 2017 NRL season, Michael Chammas looks at pre-season form and the big questions confronting your club.