CRUNCH! IT’S A DREAM START

IN THE aftermath of a crunching tackle by three Canberra Raiders, Darryn Schonig thought “this is it, I’ve made it”.

The Kirwan High old boy realised a dream held since he was 13 in making his NRL debut for the Melbourne Storm.

He did not have time to ponder his first hit up, first tackle, or even first step on to the field.

When Tom Eisenhuth went down in the pre-game warm-up, the 24year-old was called upon.

There were no initial nerves, no thoughts of “what if”, there was simply a job to do.

“I remember I was walking back, I hadn’t had a carry yet after scoring a try when Paps (Ryan Papenhuyzen) made that big break. Christian Welch asked if I wanted the kick-off carry, I sprinted and gave it all my heart,” Schonig said.

“It kind of took me a little while because as soon as I got told, we were going back into the sheds.

“I didn’t really stop and think about it, I didn’t get on until the second half but the whole time I was thinking footy, footy, footy.

“It wasn’t until I got on the plane afterwards I sat back and said ‘ wow that actually happened’, something I wanted to do since I was 13. It unfolded right there and then.

“It was an unreal feeling, if anything it’s made me hungrier and I want to get out there and do more.”

Schonig did not get a huge amount of game time to show his worth, but what gave him immense relief was the lack of errors in his stint.

Overall his 29 running metres from three carries and six tackles were enough to make him realise what was needed to reach greater heights. Once he got on the field Schonig was in the throes of an enthralling contest between two sides considered genuine title contenders.

It was as fast as anything he had ever experienced, more intense than any game he had been a part of.

And he had a former Kirwan teammate in Brandon Smith to guide him.

The New Zealand international hooker showed his firebrand character throughout the 80 minutes, and Schonig said having him in his ear made his first steps in the NRL far easier.

He said it was the lessons instilled in him at his former alma mater — and head of rugby Dave Ackers — that had prepared for this moment.

“I buddied up with Brandon, he was really in my ear pushing me — ‘run here, carry here’ — he really helped me a bit,” Schonig said.

“I feel like my time at Kirwan was really beneficial.”