Player Watch #2 Jacob Hopper

[ShereKhan]

Nothing you can say will convince me that TT is a good midfielder. The game is a speed game not a heavy plow game.

I watch the games closely, very closely. I watch what the player does, where he moves, and how much pressure they are under at the time of disposal, where they decide to use the ball, where they are positioned to make a tackle etc.
Preasure act dont take much when youre standing next to the play waiting for them to take possession and then tackle.

That is a zero sum game, it doesn't get the team anything, that's what your stats dont show you.

For his pay packet he isnt great,

His pay packet isn't high, that's the thing. It's ballpark $750k. There'll be 65 players above $1m in 2027, and probably 150 above $750k.

I appreciate you watch the game closely, but not as closely as Champion Data who analyse every single positive and negative outcome of every involvement in the game. This rates him at a career high 12.53 in 2026.

This is a mid-range ranking for a permanent CBA mid across the competition.

I believe you have confirmation bias in relation to Taranto, where you notice every single mistake and ignore all of the positive contributions. Player Ratings have no bias - just computers with no emotion, no bias and no 'favourites'.

Having said all that.....hopefully in 18-months TT will be our 5-6th choice midfielder and not our first, as I also can certainly appreciate his shortcomings and acknowledge if he's still one of our best couple of CBA mids we aren't going anywhere as a team.

But I do believe he sadly gets lumped with Hopper in every discussion about our midfield which I think is unfair as he's a million miles better than Hopper and has been since day one at Tigerland.

 

[ShereKhan]

2 first round draft picks, 7 year contract.....and he never tackles, never applies pressure and turns the ball over.

No it wasn't. It was pick-31 with some picks back (Kaleb Smith and Steely Green) and a future first which turned into pick-8.

So pick-8 and pick-31 for Hopper, Steely Green and Smith.

If niether of Green or Smith are long-term players it's a really poor trade, but at this stage Green is improving with every outing and TBH looks like making the grade..... if that happens we all need to cool our jets on the catastrophising.

 

[JackNah_8]

Does Hardwick want Hopper?

I can't remember why Hardwick was keen to recruit Hopper back then.

 

[Vassp]

His pay packet isn't high, that's the thing. It's ballpark $750k. There'll be 65 players above $1m in 2027, and probably 150 above $750k.

I appreciate you watch the game closely, but not as closely as Champion Data who analyse every single positive and negative outcome of every involvement in the game. This rates him at a career high 12.53 in 2026.

This is a mid-range ranking for a permanent CBA mid across the competition.

I believe you have confirmation bias in relation to Taranto, where you notice every single mistake and ignore all of the positive contributions. Player Ratings have no bias - just computers with no emotion, no bias and no 'favourites'.

Having said all that.....hopefully in 18-months TT will be our 5-6th choice midfielder and not our first, as I also can certainly appreciate his shortcomings and acknowledge if he's still one of our best couple of CBA mids we aren't going anywhere as a team.

But I do believe he sadly gets lumped with Hopper in every discussion about our midfield which I think is unfair as he's a million miles better than Hopper and has been since day one at Tigerland.

I do give credit when Taranto does something well, it's in my game day posts, so I don't hate him or Hopper, it's not my style, I dislike the way they play. Hopper did do some good things this last game, and said in the game day thread.

But he will do 2 -3 good things and then many shockers.

I am not familiar with Champion data and the way it works TBH.
I use my judgment on how I see the game. And I don't watch any other games nowadays (to compare other teams players) bar one on two a year.

But because I've done many things at a high level, I look at things differently.
Remember I was onto Hopper from the get-go. And TTs poor disposal. Way before anyone.
Also most recently, I was right on about Balta not playing defense and playing centre and forward....maybe I am onto something.......

 

[TerraTiger]

A few points RE: Hopper - it's a really tough one. He has fallen off a cliff no doubt. it is staggering comparing output this year, to last year and, while is ages ago now, compared to his good years at the giants. I suspect some physical issue lead to confidence being shot, add in lack of pace in a game now needing pace and there you go. 2026 output unfortunately....

Can he get back to something? Really not sure. For our sake I hope so.

Also, on those critical of Yze for the CBA, I get it and do think some of it is on Yze, but what else can Yze do (presuming Hopper is selected in the seniors)? I ask this, because talk of Hopper as a defensive forward, or anywhere near the backline, to me are rubbish. He is too slow for such roles. He is inside mid field only. I don't see any other role. And right now, I don't see that role for him. 2's beckons me thinks.

Another angle on this, it is very easy as a supporter to load hate on to the likes of Hopper. He's human 'though. It'd affect him emotionally. He gets well compensated (before anyone raises that). I just think the human side needs some thought/ack. To me, the issue is/was the length of contract for a guy with a questionable body. So here we are......

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Does Hardwick want Hopper?

I can't remember why Hardwick was keen to recruit Hopper back then.

Hardwick was high on emotion after getting a young root and stoned on weed .
Neither head was capable of thinking straight .

 

[Football Tragic]

No it wasn't. It was pick-31 with some picks back (Kaleb Smith and Steely Green) and a future first which turned into pick-8.

So pick-8 and pick-31 for Hopper, Steely Green and Smith.

If niether of Green or Smith are long-term players it's a really poor trade, but at this stage Green is improving with every outing and TBH looks like making the grade..... if that happens we all need to cool our jets on the catastrophising.

Ok - so it was an early first round pick and a second round pick plus we placed him on a 7 year deal, of which he still has four years remaining (counting this year).

I appreciate that Green and Smith are looking like they might be solid contributors moving forward but the players we could have got with pick 8 and 31, could have helped drive our rebuild.

Meanwhile, Hopper is becoming a liability and list clogger. He's great at extracting the ball, but he allows the opposition midfielders the freedom to score freely the other way. Statistically, he turns the ball over continuously and just hacks it forward.
He's actually hurting our side by appearing to be helping us with his clearance numbers but, in reality, hurting us far more with his disposal, decision making and defense. We can't afford to have a one way runner in the most critical position on the ground.

I like Hopper, but unless he can find a secondary role where he can stand out, he needs to step aside and allow the likes of Cumming, Lalor, Hotton, Gryll who can play through the middle and go forward/back, to take his spot.

4 more years.....

 

[Forensi Tiger]

Looks like he might do alright in an egg and spoon race

 

[kozi]

Stopped giving af the moment dumma walked out. Was sold a vision that was gone 7 games later

TT still cares at least and wants to get the best out of himself

 

[Yze does it]

No it wasn't. It was pick-31 with some picks back (Kaleb Smith and Steely Green) and a future first which turned into pick-8.

So pick-8 and pick-31 for Hopper, Steely Green and Smith.

If niether of Green or Smith are long-term players it's a really poor trade, but at this stage Green is improving with every outing and TBH looks like making the grade..... if that happens we all need to cool our jets on the catastrophising.

GWS picks turned into Curtin & McMullin 29 & 30 games

Taranto picks were turned into Gruzeski, Hewett 15 & 38 games.


who would we have drafted? flanker types

 

[JackNah_8]

Stopped giving af the moment dumma walked out. Was sold a vision that was gone 7 games later

TT still cares at least and wants to get the best out of himself

In that case why didn't he request a trade?

 

[Hoos]

Anyway...TT gets lumped with Hopper...I get it. But when Hotton, Lalor, Smillie, Cumming, Campbell etc...are hopefully our midfield mainstays, TT will be a vital part of the mix.

He gets lumped with him because he's also slow and also turns the ball over when the heat's on.

He's in our best team of course, just not as a full-time midfielder. 80% forward and 20% midfield would be great.

 

[kozi]

In that case why didn't he request a trade?

Is a possibility that he did and we said nah

That would be best case scenario, then it’s just a case of changing our tune this year and packing his bags for him

 

[_RT_]

Hopper was fined for attempting to trip (first offence) Adelaide's Wayne Milera

30

Wayne Milera

Age

28

Ht

185cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.9

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

6.8

4star

M

4.3

4star

T

2.5

4star

MG

265.3

4star

D

15.0

4star

K

8.5

3star

HB

6.5

4star

M

3.5

3star

T

1.0

2star

MG

282.0

4star

D

11.4

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.4

4star

MG

182.0

3star

in the second quarter of Sunday's 37-point loss. It has resulted in a $1,500 fine, which can be reduced to $1,000 with an early plea.

 

[kozi]

Hopper was fined for attempting to trip (first offence) Adelaide's Wayne Milera in the second quarter of Sunday's 37-point loss. It has resulted in a $1,500 fine, which can be reduced to $1,000 with an early plea.

Can we appeal to get it up to a 1 week suspension?

 

[Infamy]

injuries dont make you play that bad, Diesel had very bad hammies i believe, and his dipsoal was amazing.

Are you trying to tell us that because one player had a particular injury he managed to play through back in the 80s & 90s that it should mean every injured player, no matter what the injury, should still be able to have amazing disposal?

 

[Vassp]

Are you trying to tell us that because one player had a particular injury he managed to play through back in the 80s & 90s that it should mean every injured player, no matter what the injury, should still be able to have amazing disposal?

No , im trying to say that, class shows regardless of injury status.

 

[Infamy]

No , im trying to say that, class shows regardless of injury status.

Good to know all injuries are the same

 

[Vassp]

Good to know all injuries are the same

that what youre saying, not what I said.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Hopper was fined for attempting to trip (first offence) Adelaide's Wayne Milera in the second quarter of Sunday's 37-point loss. It has resulted in a $1,500 fine, which can be reduced to $1,000 with an early plea.

His inability to hit a target by foot is endlesss.

 

[tropicaltiger]

that what youre saying, not what I said.

diesels hammies were fine, knee issues, bone on bone

 

[GhostofJimJess]

I remember watching both TT's and Hopper's highlight reels when we recruited them, and realising Toby Greene looked better in their highlight reels than they did.

Except Greene repeatedly goes missing in big games.

Taranto was definitely the Giants BOG in the 2019 GF. Hopper would've been in their best 3 or 4 in that GF, as he was in their PF vs Collingwood in 2018 and their 2021 semi vs Geelong.

 

[Wrenny]

I remember Toby Greene

4

Toby Greene

Age

32

Ht

182cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.7

5star

K

12.5

5star

HB

10.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.0

5star

G

1.2

4star

D

17.5

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.8

4star

T

1.0

2star

G

2.3

5star

D

26.6

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

14.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.6

5star

G

0.0

1star

said in a Podcast that he’d rather Hopper than Taranto when asked if he could of kept one.

Don’t remember where I heard it but it stuck with me. What has actually happened?

 

[Vassp]

diesels hammies were fine, knee issues, bone on bone

Yes my bad, just looked it up, he had 5 knee surgeries.

 

[ShereKhan]

I do give credit when Taranto does something well, it's in my game day posts, so I don't hate him or Hopper, it's not my style, I dislike the way they play. Hopper did do some good things this last game, and said in the game day thread.

But he will do 2 -3 good things and then many shockers.

I am not familiar with Champion data and the way it works TBH.
I use my judgment on how I see the game. And I don't watch any other games nowadays (to compare other teams players) bar one on two a year.

But because I've done many things at a high level, I look at things differently.
Remember I was onto Hopper from the get-go. And TTs poor disposal. Way before anyone.
Also most recently, I was right on about Balta not playing defense and playing centre and forward....maybe I am onto something.......

The late great Max Walker used too say: "If you're actually any good you won't have to tell anyone, they'll tell you". But I'm glad you've done many things at a high level...I myself live under Princess St bridge.