Clydesdales’ Captain is ready to roll in 2023

Written by Maree Parsons

Darryn Schonig, the first Western Clydesdales Cup Team captain since their return to the Queensland Cup, brings a whole new level of experience to the team.

At 26, the hard hitting forward has had plenty of Queensland Cup experience having played for the Sunshine Coast Falcons and Northern Pride as well as being signed with the Bulldogs and part of their pre-season training this year.

Schonig moved to Toowoomba earlier this year. Although he hasn’t been here long his knowledge and experience of the game has seen him shine as a true leader.

“I was super honoured to be named captain. Jason (Alchin – head coach) asked me to do it just before our first trial against the Bulldogs,” Schonig said.

“I was a late bloomer in footy as I didn’t start playing until I was 12, and I didn’t show much promise until I was about 15 when I got the inspiration to make the goal of being a footballer and to one day play in the nrl.

“So, to be given this opportunity to lead captain the Cup team is a special moment and I am really looking forward to it.”

The eldest of five kids, Schonig had an idyllic childhood growing up Cooktown before to Cairns to play footy.

“I was always one of the bigger kids even with kids around my age so we thought we would give league a go but I was pretty terrible and I was flat out catching a ball,” he said.

“Then I broke my ankle when I was 13 and when I was tyring to get that right I found a dumbbell and started getting into the gym and by the time I was 15 I had started to find my confidence and knew I wanted to give playing representative level a crack.”

And by the time he was 16 he had started at Kirwan State High School as part of the North Queensland Cowboys schoolboys development program.

For the next few years he went on to play for the Sydney Roosters Under 20s before returning North Queensland and joining Northern Pride.

“I then got a pre-season trial with Melbourne and was with them for nearly three years and played with the Sunshine Coast Falcons before signing with the Bulldogs and Western Clydesdales at the end of last season,” he said.

Schonig said he was really enjoying his time under the new Bulldogs pathway with the Clydesdales and said the team was ready to take on PNG Hunters this Sunday.

“The culture of the team and the whole club is very strong. Rugby league in general in Toowoomba is a big part of the community,” he said.

“We have got a great bunch of boys in the Cup squad and there’s a good feeling getting around the club. All our training has been hard and everyone’s been buying in and we are ready to go out and play on Sunday.”

Schonig said he was really looking forward to playing a year of consistent footy and doing whatever he could to get the Clydesdales on the map as a quality Queensland Cup side.

2023 Memberships and match tickets are on sale now - click here to lock in your support