The player who gives Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart a sense of deja vu

He also sees a player who's never let him down.

It's why he had no hesitation turning to him to come in for the suspended Jordan Rapana as the Raiders look for their first win of the season - against the Dolphins at Redcliffe on Saturday.

Hopoate fitted straight in when he played the final seven games of last year's regular season, scoring three tries and playing some starring roles as well.

The 22-year-old could now string another run of games together in Rapana's three-week absence due to suspension.

Hopoate jokingly told The Canberra Times he wasn't as dirty a player as his old man, John Hopoate, but Stuart could see some similarities.

A quick look back at the photos from his playing days at Manly and it's not hard to see why.

"He very much reminds me of his father the way he carries the football. He's just better looking than John," Stuart said with a laugh.

Stuart said both Hopoate and James Schiller, who has been named 18^th man for the Dolphins clash, had done their jobs whenever he's called upon them.

A Hopoate try sparked them into action in the second half to come from behind and beat the New Zealand Warriors last year, while Schiller scored that stunning try against the Melbourne Storm.

You know the one - where he grubbered ahead along the sideline, had to run out of play before coming back and producing a brilliant dive to score the winner against the Storm.

That win sparked the Raiders' run to the finals as they won seven of their last eight to sneak into the top eight.

"'Hoppa' and James Schiller always play well when they get their opportunity," Stuart said.

"I know they're both itching for that chance and Hoppa gets his opportunity this weekend and he's never let us down.

"He's always played very well - especially on the back end of last season. Hoppa getting that continuous football, he was a strong asset there.

"He proved a wonderful addition to the squad last year.

"Then James Schiller, we all remember that try he scored against Melbourne, where he kicked the ball and went out, we all remember that.

"Both boys are awaiting their opportunity and now it's Hoppa's chance."

Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty pointed to Hopoate's performances last year as proof he'd be able to cover Rapana's absence - even though they're also losing Rapana's 181 NRL games of experience, as well as 16 Tests for New Zealand.

Hopoate will be part of an even younger Canberra backline where Nick Cotric's the most senior of the outside backs - at 24.

Across the five wingers, centres and fullback, they have an average age of just 23.

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But Fogarty saw it more as a positive - the chance to watch an exciting prospect look to take his chance.

Hopoate played five NRL games for Manly in 2020 before shifting to the Raiders. He's off-contract at the end of the season.

"It's unlucky that Raps has got to sit out for a couple of weeks, but we've got good depth at the club," Fogarty said.

"Hops will come in there and he's done a job for us last year. A couple of games that he played last year he was probably one of our best.

"Even though he was on the wing, he's someone that loves playing football, that loves competing and he does a really good job at it.

"Obviously we lose heaps of experience with Raps and what he's done in the game, but it's also exciting that we've got a young prospect in Hoppa who loves to work hard and loves doing all the little things - and we love playing with him."

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