You probably won’t know his name yet, but two years ago Trent Hodkinson was considered a hotter NRL prospect than Daniel Mortimer or Kris Keating.

That was until the halfback tipped to fill the void left by Matt Orford at Manly tore his anterior cruciate ligament and dislocated his knee cap.

Bright future ... Trent Hodkinson has the potential. Angelo Soulas

During 12 months of rehabilitation, there were days when the No. 7 who Manly legend Noel Cleal has likened to Cooper Cronk thought about quitting the game.

But as he stands on the cusp of a breakthrough season in the NRL, the Junior Kangaroo says riding out the hard road was worth it.

“At the start of 2008 I did my knee in a trial for Parramatta. It’s tough going through a reconstruction, you’re tossing up whether to give up the game or not,” Hodkinson said.

“It set me back a bit but I’m glad I stuck it out. I feel stronger for having gone through the experience. Now I just want to do everything I can to get a crack in the NRL. I feel I’m ready.”

Hodkinson is the cousin of former Manly player Shayne Dunley and grew up in Campbelltown around the corner from Parramatta’s Jarryd Hayne and Brisbane’s Israel Folau.

Last year, he won a grand final playing for the Sunshine Coast in the Queensland Cup, represented Queensland Residents in the State of Origin curtain-raiser and ran third in the player of the year award.

Manly coach Des Hasler is an unabashed fan of the 21-year-old, while club recruitment guru Cleal reckons he’s got the potential to emulate Cronk.

“He’s probably a little bit like a Cooper Cronk in that when we signed Matt Orford from Melbourne, no one had heard of him,” Cleal said.

“Since then he’s played in four grand finals. So Hoko’s got a similar opportunity in our side.”

“Probably a good indicator is that we haven’t gone out and signed anyone else. There’s definitely an opportunity there for him.”

Hasler is weighing up whether to go with Hodkinson, Kieran Foran or Daly Cherry-Evans as the man to replace Orford.

“Trent’s got very bright prospects. It’s now a really good opportunity for him to take a shot at the No. 7 jumper,” Hasler said.

“Indications are from his off-season form that’s he’s going really well so the ball’s in his court now.”

Hodkinson could not ask for a better mentor than retired No. 7 Hasler, who represented NSW and Australia in a distinguished career.