Hopoate ready for new role as Manly wingers fuel finals surge

"With the injury to Tolu I was trying to soak up as much experience in first grade while he was on the sidelines," Hopoate said. "I had doubt in my mind that I would be back. 

"Thankfully I was back two weeks before Tolu came back and got to get a game or two under my belt. 

"I'm looking to play consistent footy. I don't want to have one good game then be off for a couple of games. Week in, week out, I want to turn up for the boys and play consistent footy."

Hopoate's emergence continues a long line of NRL players from the family that started with father John. 

Older brother Will made his debut for the Sea Eagles in 2010, while Albert is currently running around for the Raiders. Sister Kalosipani plays for the Roosters in the NRLW.

Lehi has impressed his teammates with his ability to remain calm under pressure and take everything in his stride, with his family helping him slide straight into the NRL. 

"It's hard to understand [how well he's fit in]," Manly hooker Lachlan Croker said. "You talk to him during a game after the tries he sets up and say 'that's outstanding', he just looks at you and goes 'yeah sweet'. 

"He's the coolest kid I've ever met and nothing fazes him. You could throw him in an Origin game next week and he'd say 'yeah sweet, no worries'. It's unbelievable, I've never seen anything like it. From what I heard, his older brother was like that as well. It's scary to see a kid at that age, where he could end up."

Hopoate's emergence comes as fellow winger Jason Saab has continued to develop into a well-rounded player. 

The 23-year-old is known for his lightning-quick speed, but it's the other areas of his game he has been working on that have seen him play a crucial role in Manly's charge towards the finals.

Taking the tough carries deep in their own end has been a key focus, Saab attempting to replicate the template first established by Penrith winger Brian To'o. 

But while To'o is 182 centimetres tall, Saab is listed at 199cm and runs into the meat of an opposition defence are a far tougher prospect. 

The 17cm height difference means Saab isn't able to simply replicate the Panthers star but he's confident he's identified a technique that works for him. 

"I know I'm still far away from how good I can be in that part of my game, which is exciting," Saab said. "I'm not doing bad at the moment but I think I can go to another level. 

"That's what I want to bring to my team. The speed stuff is easy. When you've got four players that can put you in space, that's the easy part. I want to be a tough player for the team. That's where I want to grow and that's what my teammates care about at the end of the day, 'did he play tough?'

"That's all that matters. They don't care about did 'he do this on the Telstra Tracker?' That's rugby league. You want to play tough, you want your teammates to be tough and that's something I want to hang my hat on."

The ability for wingers to make tough carries early in sets provides the forwards with additional rest and allows them to make an even bigger impact when they do get their hands on the ball. 

With the pack rolling through the middle, opportunities then open up for the backs later in the set and Saab is among the biggest beneficiaries when he receives the ball in space.

The winger has made 20 line breaks in just 15 games, the second-best strike rate in the NRL, and is averaging the most running metres in his career. 

Croker revealed Saab's development in early carries has been a work in progress for the past few years and said the entire team is reaping the rewards. 

"It's not just this year, it's been over the last couple of years," Croker said. "Even just his body shape, the way he leans into contact, has been something that's been really beneficial for our team and he's taken his game to a new level.

"Early on he struggled with his size and learning about contact. When you're stuck in a corner and teams have got their baseball bats out trying to get hold of you, it's not a great carry. To learn about what makes a good carry for Saaby has been good. 

"We've been lucky with our outside backs, you've seen Hopoate do it now. He's only 50kg or something, he's getting in between bodies. The way our outside backs are getting us out of trouble and being in shape this year has been really good for us middles and helped our game."