Jacob Hopper (North Ballarat Rebels)

Height: 186 cm
Weight: 82 kg
Position: Inside midfielder
Player comparison: David Armitage
Strengths: Contested ball, strength, clearances, goal kicking
Weaknesses: Outside game, footskills
First year impact: Rising star nominee

Kicking: Average
Marking: Above average
Endurance: Elite
Speed: Average

Jacob Hopper was one of those players that has been locked away realistically since the start of the season to Greater Western Sydney and the other 17 recruiters have silently screamed at the fact they will not have access to him.

As it stands, Jacob Hopper has been the most influential midfielder this season in the draft. Much is talked about Darcy Parish and his skills, but in terms of game breaking ability, Jacob Hopper has got to be number one.

Hopper might not be as clean as Parish, but his sheer ability to win the ball, extract it out of contests and go forward to kick goals is testament to his endurance. Hopper could be compared to David Armitage or Ben Cunnington in the way he wins the ball in tight, but can have an influence on the scoreboard.

In terms of areas for improvement, the two biggest factors would be his kicking and developing more of an outside game. Hopper is by no means a poor kick, but compared to the rest of his game, it would be described as average.

Luckily, the way Hopper plays, kicking is not a major flaw. Like most inside midfielders, he buries himself under packs and shoots out a handball, or if he does kick, it will often be quickly under pressure.

Hopper could also improve his outside game, particularly his spread, but again this could come with development at GWS. He is strong enough inside, that an outside game would be a complement rather than a necessity.

In terms of speed, Hopper is not overly quick, but what he lacks in speed, he makes up for in determination. He is a courageous, natural-born leader who is likely to go on to captain GWS one day.

In the way that he plays, Hopper shows no fear and is the kind of player that would crawl over hot coals or barbed wire to get a win for his team. He will immediately become a fan favourite, similar to the way that Jordan De Goey or Patrick Cripps have at their respective clubs for  their instinctual ‘never say die’ attitudes.

Hopper won New South Wales’ most valuable player award at the under 18 championships, made the under 18 All-Australian team and the TAC Cup Team of the Year. Having also been part of the AFL AIS Academy, Hopper has taken home nearly every accolade to date.

While GWS will have to give up a first round pick for Hopper, he worth it and some. His fellow New South Wales teammate Matt Kennedy will also command a first rounder, with the new bidding system likely to cost them a few pretty pennies. But with Adam Treloar leaving enabling another first rounder for the Giants, they should be able to snatch both players without losing too much of a draft position.

The expectation on Hopper is he could very well play in his first season. Being an inside midfielder with elite endurance, he could start with the Giants from round one. While he might have to earn his place, in the past, the Giants have not been afraid to play first year draftees early on.

As mentioned earlier, Hopper’s inside game is likely to win fans over for the way he goes about. His ability to drift forward, which was briefly touched on is another way he could start his AFL career.

Hopper is a strong presence not only around the contest and at ground level, but in the air one-on-one as well. Against a smaller player, he thrives on having a one-out marking contest similar to Dane Swan.

He is also the type of player you can rely on to bob up and take an important clutch mark and kick a match-winning goal. More importantly, his ability to impact over four quarters on a consistent basis is superb.

Unlike other draftees who might show glimpses of brilliance, Hopper stands up and delivers time and time again, such is his determination to be the very best player possible.

Jacob Hopper will be selected in the top 10 to GWS and the Giants certainly have a player on their hands. Fans will enjoy his contested ball winning and forward impact as well as his will for the contest. The coaching staff will begin to go to work on his outside game and kicking to try and round out his overall game.

In summary, Hopper has the potential to be a very strong player at AFL level and one of the best inside midfielders for the future.