The Parramatta Eels have announced the contract extension of young lock J’maine Hopgood.
The 23-year-old joined Brad Arthur’s side this year from the Penrith Panthers, and will now remain in blue and gold until the end of the 2025 NRL season.
Hopgood has played all ten matches this campaign, with only two of those appearances coming off the interchange.
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He has benefitted from the increased game time at his new club, making significant strides from a statistical perspective.
This season he has made 12 tackle breaks, 26 offloads and recorded an average of 121 running metres per game for the Eels.
The Hervey Bay product has also been astute defensively, making 40.8 tackles per match on 91.7 per cent efficiency.
“J’maine has been a tremendous addition to the Eels’ squad and has brought much more than his football talent,” Eels head of football Mark O’Neill said.
“J’maine is tough, has a great work ethic and a good offload in his game.
“Not only is he performing on the field for the team, but he has connected well with everyone at the club and has brought a strong cultural presence.”
Hopgood made his NRL debut for the Panthers in 2021 but only featured in five games that season.
The following year, he announced he would be joining the Eels in 2023 on a two-year deal, a contract that has since been extended through to 2025.
He made his senior representative debut for the Indigenous All Stars during the most recent pre-season.
J’maine Hopgood 2023 stats
| Tackle breaks | 12 |
| Post contact metres | 423 |
| Offloads | 26 |
| Tackles made | 408 |
| Average run metres | 121 |