Jacob Hopper

Jacob Hopper (born 6 February 1997) is a professional Australian rules footballer with the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Jacob Hopper
Hopper playing for Greater Western Sydney in April 2018
Personal information
Full name Jacob Hopper
Date of birth (1997-02-06) 6 February 1997
Place of birth New South Wales
Original team(s) North Ballarat Rebels (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 7, 2015 national draft
Height 187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 87 kg (192 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder / Forward
Club information
Current club Greater Western Sydney
Number 2
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2016– Greater Western Sydney 74 (29)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of PF 2019.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life

Hopper was born in New South Wales[1] and grew up in the small Riverina town of Leeton.[2] He began playing football at the age of four with the Leeton-Whitton Crows where his father coached. He joined Greater Western Sydney's academy program at the age of 13[3] and regularly gained selection for NSW representative teams in the years that followed. He attended school at St Francis de Sales Regional College[4]. At the age of 17, he began boarding at St Patrick's College, Ballarat[5] while playing TAC Cup football for the North Ballarat Rebels.[6]

He was recruited by the Greater Western Sydney Giants with the seventh overall selection in the 2015 national draft.[7]

AFL career

Hopper made his debut in round 8 of the 2016 AFL season, in a 91-point win against Gold Coast at Spotless Stadium. He was rewarded with a nomination for the 2016 AFL Rising Star,[8] after he collected 32 disposals equaling the AFL record (since 2000) for most disposals made on debut (West Coast's Bradd Dalziell's 32 in 2000 the previous highest). and nine clearances.[9][10]

Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of round 9, 2017[11]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2016 Greater Western Sydney210536510717232330.50.36.510.717.23.23.3
2017 Greater Western Sydney2631406110117280.50.26.710.216.82.84.7
Career 16 8 4 105 168 273 49 61 0.5 0.2 6.6 10.5 17.1 3.1 3.8

References
  1. Polkinghorne, David (17 April 2019). "GWS Giants re-sign Jacob Hopper ahead of Fremantle Dockers clash". Canberra Times. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  2. Cordy, Neil (20 May 2016). "GWS Rising Star Jacob Hopper out of the wilderness and into the AFL spotlight". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  3. Jones, Mary (17 May 2016). "Celebrating Jacob Hopper's debut". Ladies Who Leap. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  4. https://aflnswact.com.au/all-australian-honours-for-u15-schoolboys/
  5. Walsh, Courtney (7 May 2016). "Young Giant Jacob Hopper a youngster in eye of Riverina storm". News.com.au. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  6. Wrigley, Brendan (17 May 2016). "Former Rebel Jacob Hopper earns AFL Rising Star award". The Ballarat Courier. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  7. Buckley, James (6 September 2016). "Jacob Hopper perfect example of GWS Giants academy graduate who now plays AFL". The Age. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  8. Zell, Alison (16 May 2016). "A Debut to Remember". Greater Western Sydney Football Club Official Website. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  9. Warren, Adrian (14 May 2016). "GIANTS Stand Tall Over Suns". AAP. Greater Western Sydney Football Club Official Website. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  10. Curley, Adam (14 May 2016). "Hopper Hype and Mohr's Return". AFL Media. Greater Western Sydney Football Club Official Website. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  11. "Jacob Hopper". AFL Tables. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
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