FORMER North Ballarat Rebel Jacob Hopper’s blistering display for the Greater Western Sydney Giants on the weekend came as no surprise to those who worked with the teenager over the past two years.
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The debut against the Gold Coast Suns resulted in the youngster amassing 32 touches as well as breaking 17 contested possessions to earn the AFL rising star award for round eight.
The 19-year-old from the country New South Wales town of Leeton came to Ballarat to board at St Patricks College and spent two years on the Rebels list, before being selected at pick seven by GWS in the 2015 draft.
As well as being named school vice-captain in just his second year at the school, Hopper also captained St Pats to its sixth straight Herald Sun Shield in 2015. Rebels talent manager Phil Partington said the composure displayed by the 185 centimetre midfielder in his first senior outing was reminiscent of his time in the TAC Cup.
“We’re used to how Jacob goes about his football so we weren’t surprised in that respect, but you don’t see too many debut games like that,” Partington said. “His high work ethic and his attack on the footy are exceptional, and he made an instant impact at the Rebels.
“We called him the raging bull because of his efforts in the contest and the will and competitiveness that comes out of him.”
"We called him the raging bull because of his efforts in the contest."
- Phil Partington - Rebels talent manager
Hopper was given the daunting task of playing on one of the greats in Gary Ablett for a portion of the Giants’ 91 point triumph, and managed to lay an impressive tackle on the veteran. In an interview Hopper described running alongside the champion was “a huge honour and privilege”.
St Pats coach Howard Clark described Hopper as one of the most talented players he had coached in his 15 years at the helm of the school’s football program.
“When you're going side by side with Gary Ablett that’s very daunting and you’ve got to have a pretty innate confidence level in your own ability which he has always had,” Clark said. “It reflects his ability and commitment to the game.”
