J’maine Hopgood would have laughed at anyone at the start of the year if they’d told him that he was in the mix for a State of Origin debut, but the Eels lock must be on Billy Slater’s radar after a stunning performance against the Rabbitohs on Friday.
The 24-year-old joined the Eels with little fanfare after playing 10 games for Penrith over a few seasons where he was stuck in reserve grade behind Isaah Yeo.
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But he has developed into one of the best lock forwards in the opening three months of the season, capping off his hot start with 108 metres, four offloads and 38 tackles in his first 80-minute game since Round 1.
Hopgood openly admits that he didn’t have the confidence to play his natural game at the Panthers, but his true potential has been unlocked thanks to coach Brad Arthur who has backed him every step of the way.
His hot start to the year means another coach could be calling him very soon with Josh Papalii’s sudden retirement opening the door for someone like Hopgood or Canberra’s Corey Horsburgh to come into the side.
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“I haven’t spoken to Billy, and it’s not something I try to think too much about,” Hopgood said moments before he caught up with Queensland great Johnathan Thurston in the Eels dressing room on Friday night.
“The only way I think about it is how much it would mean to me if I was able to do that.
“Twelve weeks ago, if you’d have said that to me then I would have laughed at you. To be able to just say that people are saying it is an achievement in itself.
“I just want to go out and play every week for Parra and do this jersey proud first. If I ever got the chance to wear that (Queensland) jersey then that would be something different and something very special for me.
“Even just to be mentioned is a good enough thing.”
The young man from Hervey Bay is no stranger to the maroon jersey having represented his state at junior level where he played alongside Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, and against Blues superstar Payne Haas.
It’s why he’d love another crack now after suffering a heartbreak defeat in the under-18s in 2017, only to be on the wrong end of a Matt Burton masterclass two years later.
“It’s everything, it’s the pinnacle for me and a lot of kids growing up in Queensland,” he said.
“I played a lot of 18s and 20s, and was lucky enough to be in camps where I was surrounded by the first grade Maroons boys at the time. You just idolise those guys, and you could see how much it meant to them.
“We didn’t get the win in either of those grades so that’s something that still stings me to this day, so I know if I ever got to put that jersey on, I wouldn’t leave anything out there.
“If I got the opportunity then I wouldn’t say no to it. I’m a Queensland boy who grew up in Hervey Bay which is a pretty small country town.
“I don’t know, they might build them a bit different up there. That’s for you to decide.”