For Pauleen Lewis, watching her son Chris morph into an integral cog in the potent Melbourne Storm machine has been "overwhelming" and "surreal".
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The 29-year-old's progress from part-timer to the Storm's "Mr Fix It" has provided Pauleen and her fellow rugby league tragic husband, Mick, with the thrill of a lifetime.
The second-row specialist's everywhere-man status has resulted in him making 18 appearances for the club this season, with him used off the bench in all bar one of those matches, as the storm notched 18 straight wins.
A win over the Titans on the Gold Coast on Thursday night would result in the reigning premiers' equalling the 1975 Roosters' record of 19 straight wins. Lewis will start at lock.
Pauleen said: "Looking at him on the telly playing football, you have to pinch yourself that that's him. He's done it: he's playing with the Melbourne Storm."
Mick and Pauleen run a Wagyu cattle farm at Ashford. For years they served as principal and assistant principal, respectively, at Ashford Central School.
Chris went to that school while playing for the Ashford Roosters. Mick coached him at the Roosters. And like his elder brothers, Mat and Mark, he followed his parents into teaching.
He was a high-school history teacher at Caloundra High when the Storm offered him a 12-month development deal ahead of the 2020 season. At the time, he was playing for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Intrust Super Cup.
The two knee reconstructions, a shoulder reconstruction and an ankle reconstruction he has undergone during his career were paid for by Mick and Pauleen.
After such a horrid injury run, Mick said he and Pauleen never expected him to play 23 NRL matches.
"We were just so pleased that he got one game," the ex-Group 19 president said.
"He busted his balls for 10 years trying to get there [the NRL]. And to get one game was great.
"I guess [there was] a great sense of relief for him and for us, to see that all his efforts were rewarded.
"But to see him play a regular part of their first-grade side this year has been great - we're very excited about it."
Mick said his boy was "pretty smart at school", but that was "never his real focus".
Mark Bode
I’m passionate about writing stories that resonate with people. And I’m genuinely interested in the people I interview; I want to know about them and present their stories in a meaningful way.
I’m passionate about writing stories that resonate with people. And I’m genuinely interested in the people I interview; I want to know about them and present their stories in a meaningful way.
