Will Hopoate has urged Parramatta teammate Anthony Watmough not to curb his fiery style even as he heads into Friday's NRL grudge match with former club Manly.
Watmough has done his best to add extra feeling to the side's season opener against his old club, using the Eels' season launch last month to criticise the Sea Eagles' leadership and declare he was unhappy at Brookvale last year.
Hopoate, himself a former Sea Eagle, came up against his former side for the first time last season after spending two years on a Mormon mission.
A packed house is expected at Pirtek Stadium with fans anticipating a few fireworks between "Choc" and his former teammates and the Eels fullback said he won't be asking Watmough to keep a lid on his aggression.
When asked if he would be urging Watmough to tone it down, Hopoate said: "Choc is Choc.
"He's great value to this team and I'm sure he's preparing for this game as he would any other game."
Hopoate said he expected there to be some extra feeling between the traditional rivals on Friday night.
"There's always that great spark between Parramatta and Manly and round 1, Friday night, it's a great event and I'm sure us and them are excited and ready to go," he said.
Off-contract at the end of the season Hopoate confirmed other clubs had registered interest in his services through his manager.
"I'm just letting my manager Tyran Smith organise that and weigh up my best options and he'll leave it up for me to decide," he said.
"He's doing the work at the moment behind the scenes.
"Once things get a little bit further into the place, I'll have a look."
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