Fremantle's Lachie Schultz on dream AFL debut

Transported across the country to Fremantle in last year’s AFL Draft, Schultz made an impact through the Dockers’ pre-season, earning the selection nod in round one.

Debuting at any time is surely memorable, but doing it in an 82-point win in front of 40000 screaming home fans sounds like the perfect day out.

After three seasons with Williamstown in the VFL, Schultz, 21, had certainly earned a chance to try his hand at the next level — and with performances like the weekend’s, it seems he might pass the test with flying colours.

He looked an absolute natural, racking up 17 touches with ease and slotting two goals, the first of which drew a huge reaction, mobbed by every teammate in reach, with his mother filmed in the crowd looking as proud as punch.

Schultz said playing, then contributing, then goaling and then celebrating had made for a day he could never possibly forget.

‘‘Everyone dreams of it as a kid, but to actually get out there and soak it all in is pretty special. It’s an absolute dream come true,’’ he said.

‘‘I’ll remember it forever, it was such a special moment to be able to hit the scoreboard, and to have the feeling of the boys getting around you. It was a pretty good moment to kick it off with.

‘‘I have seen (the clip of his mother celebrating) - Mum was probably just as emotional as I was. It was very special.

‘‘My whole family was over — my sister, Dad, grandma, my best mate and his family were over and my old boss from Melbourne. It was great to be able to share that moment with so many of the people I consider close to me.’’

It has been a meteoric rise for a bloke playing Murray league football with Moama aged 17 just four seasons ago and Schultz said the emotion of what he had achieved was hard to contain.

‘‘Just before we ran out, Nat Fyfe came over to me and said to try and get all the emotion out now, and that once you’re out there to switch into game mode,’’ he said.

‘‘That settled me a bit before we ran out, but as soon as I got out there all the emotion came flying out in me, especially with the crowd. It was a weird feeling, but a great feeling.’’

He said the standard of AFL football was another level to get used to, but his coaches had been impressed with his first-up display.

‘‘It was a lot quicker, end-to-end, as soon as there was a turnover the ball was down the other end in a second,’’ Schultz said.

‘‘It was electric, the skills were so sharp, and we were fortunate enough be on top, which was a great way to be introduced to it.

‘‘Obviously there’s stuff to build on, but it was pleasing to get the acknowledgement from (coaches) and the teammates as well. But obviously it wasn’t perfect, I’ve got plenty left to learn and build on.

And while far from home, Schultz said Perth’s vibes had a comforting effect on him, making it the perfect location to learn the trade.

‘‘It’s been a lot easier than most people would expect. Perth with its beaches, it’s so much nicer than Melbourne — it’s basically just a big version of Echuca,’’ he said.

‘‘In season I won’t have the opportunity to get back there, but Moama will always be home, and to have the support back there is overwhelming, and I’ll be forever grateful for it.’’