Fast forward: Meet the young buck ready-made for finals footy

It is hard to comprehend that Cody Hopwood is only 20.

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Yes, at 196cm and 105 kilograms, the hulking prop is an imposing figure.

Knights prop Cody Hopwood. Picture AAP

The type who could man the door on any pub from Dudley to Denman and not cop any grief.

Watch him tuck the ball under his arm and run straight at a frothing James Fisher-Harris and the other bullies in the New Zealand Warriors pack on Sunday.

Listen to him articulate how he dealt with the "pressure of being down to 12 men" in the most recent battle with the Wahs.

Hear him detail the importance of "keeping a clear mind in times of adversity" and the "power of connection".

There are none of the stumbles, umms and ahhs and overused cliches you normally get from a rookie just out of his teenage years.

Sunday's qualifying semi-final at a sold-out Eden Park will be Hopwood's 17th NRL appearance.

It is his ninth start. NINE.

The young buck will partner 300-game veteran Tyson Frizell, 34, in the engine room.

Mat Croker, 27, is the other starting middle forward.

"I love playing alongside Hoppy," Croker said. "He is a big, gentle soul but when he gets on the field, he is as fierce a competitor as I've seen.

"For a kid who is 20 years old, to take on that Rabbitohs pack the way he did in the first week of the finals.

"I had the young bull and the old bull and beside me. I had Hoppy and I had Frizz, and they were the two best players on the field for the first 30 minutes.

"Hopefully they can do it again this week."

Hopwood ran 140 metres, including 70 metres post-contact, from 16 hit-ups against Souths.

Tackle-busting winger Greg Marzhew, with 76 metres, was the only player to carry defenders further.

"It's all happened pretty fast," Hopwood said.

"My goal was to play five [NRL] games this season.

"To be honest, I really just wanted to build good habits in my game playing NSW Cup.

"That's where you can go back and really work on your habits and your footy.

"Taking the step up to first grade, it's very different.

"The physicality, how fast it is and how good the players are. If you make a mistake in any aspect of the game, the other team will make you pay fairly quickly."

It may have happened quicker than expected, but Hopwood was destined to play NRL.

Cody Hopwood charges into the Souths defence. Picture Jonathan Carroll

He came through the Knights system, is a two-time Australian Schoolboy, was the SG Ball Player of the Year and represented NSW under 19s.

"I was 15 when I decided that I wanted to become an NRL player," Hopwood said. "I was playing Harold Matthews at the time. I was a year young and I did my ACL.

"I had an opportunity to do me rehab properly and gave it everything I had.

"I learnt what I needed to do off the field and it taught me that I had to make a lot of sacrifice to get where I wanted to go. At the end I thought, geez, I want to make a good crack of this."

Hopwood, who is contracted to the Knights until the end of 2028, idolised Akuila Uate growing up, reasoning that the Fijian winger "scored all the tries".

Cody Hopwood back at his old school, St Peter's Maitland. Picture Marina Neil

As he progressed through the Knights system he started to "appreciate guys like Frizz and JSaf".

Hopwood recently moved into a house with fellow rookie Fletcher Hunt in Georgetown.

"It's been pretty cruisey," Hopwood said. "I'm not sure if he's enjoying living with me, but I'll enjoy living with him.

"I have a good balance, When I'm at training, I'm at work, I really focus on all the details. I am a footy nerd in that way.

"I also know that it's healthy to get away from it too. I enjoy going back home to Maitland.

"I go have a coffee, chill with my mates. I've got a pretty good mix of friends. They support me no matter what. They couldn't care if I am a footy player or a builder. They love me for who I am."

Playing at a sold-out Eden Park, full of Wahs fans will be another new experience for Hopwood.

"It's all new to me," Hopwood said.

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