AN emotional Riley Jones paid tribute to his late father Shayne after realising a childhood dream to play in the NRL, debuting for Newcastle on Saturday night.
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Jones, a Central Coast product and Knights junior, became the club's 345th first-grade player when he ran out in the side's 32-12 victory over the Dragons at Kogarah.
The 21-year-old came off the bench and played the last 19 minutes of the game at hooker, replacing starting No.9 Fa'amanu Brown.
"I'm still pinching myself," Jones told the Newcastle Herald after the game.
"It went so quick, but it was honestly the best moment of my life. I can't believe it.
"To have all my family and friends there, it was honestly a dream come true.
"I've been dreaming of this moment since I was a child."
Growing up, Jones lived a stone's throw away from the home ground of The Entrance Tigers.
He played for the club from the under-sixes right through to his late teens.
Jones' father Shayne, who passed away two years ago from cancer, was his coach for much of that time.
"Dad and I would be over there every arvo, doing kicking and passing and things like that," Jones said.
"It was always mine and his dream to do this.
"I think he would have been watching tonight.
"I can hopefully say he would be proud.
"I had a lot to play for tonight. It was my dream, but it was his as well.
"It makes it extra special to make him proud."
Shayne, a life member of The Entrance club, was a "mad Manly supporter" and Jones joked "he was always pushing for me to play there".
But the young tryo is pleased to have come through the Knights' junior development system, which he joined at age 15.
"I got the opportunity to go in the Knights' pathway and I honestly didn't want to go anywhere else," he said.
"I love the club and they've given me some great opportunities and been awesome with me throughout the tough times.
"I'm super grateful."
The dummy-half got to debut alongside fellow The Entrance juniors Daniel and Jacob Saifiti, as well as Oryn Keeley, who played some of his junior footy for the Bateau Bay-based club and made his second NRL appearance on Saturday.
Jones said he was "never that superstar" as a junior, but had worked hard to chase his dream.
He played right across the back-line coming through the grades, mostly in the halves, but moved to hooker after being coached by now Knights NRL assistant mentor Rory Kostjasyn.
Jones featured in the club's Jersey Flegg (under-21) side that made the grand final last year, and played in Newcastle's second trial in February.
But he suffered a serious wrist injury in the pre-season game and was sidelined for almost three months.
Since the start of the year, he has put on about seven kilograms and more than held his own against the Dragons, almost putting Tyson Gamble away for a try with a quick-fire pass midway through the second half.
Jones learned of his opportunity early last week from coach Adam O'Brien, who phoned him with the news he would be debuting as he was driving down the coast to visit his mum, Katrina.
"It was a bit of an awkward phone call actually, I didn't know what to say," Jones said. "And then I had a fair few tears. It's that phone call I've been dreaming of since I was a kid. I waited until I got back on the coast, and then told her [mum]. It was the best moment."
It was always mine and his dream to do this. I think he would have been watching tonight. I can hopefully say he would be proud.
- Riley Jones