It's only fitting that in the same week the NRL celebrates its Indigenous Round, we reflect on the career of arguably the club's greatest Indigenous player.
During this week, on May 23 2004, Cronulla player number 202, David 'The Peach' Peachey, played his 200th first-grade game when the Sharks met arch rivals the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval.
It became apparent while still at school that Peachey was a prodigious talent. In 1991, Matthew Gunn of Rugby League Week wrote: "Dubbo South five-eighth David Peachey's signature is being keenly sought by a number of Winfield Cup chief executives after playing a starring role in the Commonwealth Bank University Shield final last Sunday. Peachey turned in a five-star performance as his side upset competition favourites Yanco 34-20."
Thankfully for the Sharks, their recruitment and retention team, led by first-grade coach Arthur Beetson, outpaced all other suitors to secure the young gun's signature for the 1993 season.
In 1993, Peachey was among a number of rising stars in the Sharks' Presidents Cup side that came within a whisker of winning the premiership, losing the grand final to the Eastern Suburbs Roosters 17-4. The Cronulla side was bursting with talent and included names like Nick Graham, Nathan Long, Sean Ryan, Matt Daylight and Adam Ritson.
The following season, Peachey played a handful of first-grade games after an injury to Ben Sammut but ultimately spent the majority of the season with the all-conquering Presidents Cup side. This team won the competition, claiming revenge on the Roosters with a dominant 30-6 grand final victory. Regarded by many as the greatest Presidents Cup side of all time, they lost only one match and finished the regular season four wins ahead of their nearest rivals, boasting an impressive 236-point differential.
The 1994 season was a landmark year for the Sharks, coinciding with their reserve-grade team also winning the premiership. This season is widely regarded as a pivotal moment in the Sharks' history, as many players from these successful squads graduated to first grade. Several went on to achieve representative honours and played crucial roles in the club's march to the grand final in 1997 and the achievement of a second minor premiership in 1999.
The kid from Dubbo was a mainstay for the Sharks from the start of the 1995 season and more often than not the side won when the lanky superstar had the number one on his back.
In his 200th match, played during this week 20 years ago, Peachey was nothing short of outstanding.
Cronulla scored early through Paul Gallen playing in the uncustomary position of five-eighth before skipper Brett Kimmorley converted to give the Sharks an early lead.
The milestone man figured in all three of the Sharks' first-half tries before the Sea Eagles rallied from 18 points down early in the second term to just fall short of a third straight victory in a 30-28 result. A teenage Brett Stewart was superb at fullback for the Sea Eagles. The 19-year-old scored a hat-trick of tries — his third showcasing his explosive pace when he dummied inside Sharks winger Nathan Merritt and accelerated easily past the noted flyer.
But thankfully it wasn't to be for the silvertails and the majority of the 12,511 crowd left disappointed, with the Sharks managing only their third win in 16 trips to the northern beaches.
Sharks Media Manager Rob Willis wrote at the time: "It was fitting that he should bring up his double ton in the Sharks tight win over the traditional rivals Manly Sea Eagles, with 'The Peach' playing a major role in his side's win on the day. The club held over the celebrations until the subsequent Saturday evening at the Sharks next home fixture against Souths. Peachey 'face masks' were produced for this occasion, his grandmother, mother and stepfather were flown from Dubbo for the match."
A video tribute was played on the screen featuring a host of Peachey's past and present teammates and at the conclusion of the match, Sharks Chairman Barry Pierce presented Peachey with the ball from his milestone match as well as a commemorative ring for becoming only one of seven players to play 200 games in the top grade for the Sharks.
Peachey remains a favourite son of the Sharks and was named as the fullback in the club's Team of the Half Century in 2017. Peachey is often seen on the hill at home games and is a regular at Great White reunions.
Peachey Fact File
Born: 21 April 1974 in Dubbo NSW
Position: Fullback
Nickname: The Peach
Playing height and weight: 190cm (6 foot 3 in) 90kg (14 stone 2lb)
Years at club: 1994-2005
Games for club: 232 in first grade
Debut: Round 1, Saturday 12 March 1994 against the Canberra Raiders at Caltex Field
Last game: Qualifying final, Saturday 10 September 2005 against St George Illawarra
Statistics for Cronulla: 110 tries, 440 points in first grade. He also scored 130 points in lower grades – 42 in reserve grade and 88 in Presidents Cup.
Representative: One Super League Test for Australia in 1997, one State of Origin game for NSW scoring one try in 2000, three additional games for NSW (Super League) in 1997, one game for Country in 2003
