'Grateful' returning Raiders winger Albert Hopoate following Jordan Rapana blueprint

Coming off a double last week, veteran winger Jordan Rapana will be eyeing his 100th career try against Parramatta this weekend, and his apprentice Hopoate will be cheering him on.

"Rapa's a big mentor for me," Hopoate said on the Raiders' Behind the Limelight podcast. "I sit next to him in meetings. I can ask him questions and pick his brain.

"Rapa is a big leader and he's got that X-factor so I enjoy learning off him."

Having reluctantly missed Magic Round to attend his sister's wedding, Hopoate is back in the NRL team to face the Eels, as promised by coach Ricky Stuart last week.

"I'm very grateful, and a big thank you to Stick for understanding my situation, giving me an opportunity to go to my sister's wedding and granting my spot for this week," the 22-year-old said.

"It's a big confidence-booster."

Injury and pandemic hurdles have put up roadblocks to Hopoate's NRL aspirations at times, but in the capital he's finally thriving, especially this season where he's averaged 166 run metres, and already has a career-high tackle efficiency (83 per cent) and two tries under his belt.

That season form has not gone unnoticed by Stuart who fulfilled his vow to Hopoate despite the efforts of his replacement against the Bulldogs, Xavier Savage.

"There's no way in the world I would have broken my word," Stuart said on Friday.

"Albert was happy to stay back last week, play and not go to his sister's wedding. That wasn't on.

"He was worried about losing his spot and I was just promising him he wouldn't.

"The good thing about that is Xavier Savage is 100 per cent behind him too, he fully supports it and totally understands it ... and I've got to compliment Xavier as much as anybody."

Savage will return to NSW Cup in the curtain-raiser at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night, where Stuart said he will play at fullback then be on the bench as 18th man for the NRL side.

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