Canterbury's Will Hopoate could become the first NRL fullback in at least a decade to go through a season without a try.

In an indication of just how ineffective Des Hasler's attack has been in much of a campaign to forget, his No.1 approaches the final three matches of the season with no tries and only the one line break in 15 games.

Hopoate is hardly the only player at the Bulldogs to perform below expectations but his fall from grace as a genuine troublemaker for opposition defences has mirrored the steep decline of Canterbury this year.

In 2016, the former State of Origin three-quarter scored eight tries in 21 starts at fullback, including one in each of the first five rounds of the season.