St George Illawarra utility back Jason Raper is an exception to the rule.

You’d struggle to come across a more level-headed relative of a superstar than 22-year-old Jason, the nephew of Dragons legend John ‘‘Chook’’ Raper.

Jason Raper will make his debut for the Dragons in Saturday night’s NRL trial game against the Bulldogs at Wollongong’s WIN Stadium.

In doing so, he’ll become John Raper’s first family member to play for the famous club since the former Australian skipper left in 1969.

But don’t think for a second Raper will be distracted by his famous uncle’s aura when he lines up in the club’s first hit-out of 2012.

‘‘People ask me a fair bit about whether the surname brings pressure with it but there’s certainly no pressure internally from the family or anything like that, that’s for sure,’’ Raper told the Mercury yesterday.

‘‘I remember I gave footy away for a couple of years just to hang out with my mates more back when I was 15 or 16 and there was no pressure then to get back into the sport.

‘‘Outsiders will obviously speak about it but I don’t take any notice of that.’’

Unlike his famous uncle, who was a rampaging lock, Raper is an agile and free-running outside back.

He spent his junior days with the Engadine Tigers in the halves, but has switched to the wing and fullback in recent years since joining Helensburgh in the Carlton League.

When asked if he’d like to give his nephew any sort of rap, John Raper, an eight-time Dragons premiership winner, couldn’t help but pause.

‘‘To be totally honest I haven’t seen much of him on the footy field because he’s played most of his footy in Sydney, but I’ve heard he goes pretty good,’’ he said.

‘‘I got the shock of my life when I heard he was playing in the trial, but I’m so pleased for him and proud of him.

‘‘You know what, he’s done all this himself you know. He hasn’t called on me in any way at all to get him picked.’’