David Simmons
Encyclopedia
David Simmons is an Australia
n rugby league
player for the Penrith Panthers
in the National Rugby League
competition. His position of choice is at fullback, wing, or centre. David Simmons has recently signed with the Penrith Panthers for the 2010 season.
, David predominantly played soccer up until his late teens when a friend suggested he should try rugby league for his De La Salle school side, he did and was signed onto the Cronulla side as a junior not long after.
, pace and ability to score tries. He was a part of the Sharks nearly undefeated 2003 Flegg side which would only lose one game for the entirety of the season, key performances for the side quickly elevated Simmons in only a few games into the Sharks Premier League side.
While in the Sharks premier league team Simmons was quickly shifted from his more common role on the wing to a new position in fullback; after several impressive performances he was quickly earmarked as a potential first grade fullback of the future.
After limited time in premier league he made his debut for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in 2003 against the Sydney Roosters
in round 22 at Aussie Stadium
yet again playing on the wing, he had an impressive game many times outpacing his opposite number in Todd Byrne
.
in round 5. Simmons continued to impress on the wing and occasionally at fullback for the Sharks throughout the 2004 season as he continued to score on a frequent basis both in first grade and occasionally in the lower grades.
After gradually playing more and more first grade game over the 2004 season, 2005 was where Simmons would eventually cement his spot in the Sharks side, he would play in nearly every game for the season
usually on the wing but also again occasionally at his preferred fullback when club stalwart David Peachey
was either injured or playing in the halves. He would go on to become the clubs top try scorer for the season crossing the try line a total of sixteen times.
experience being called up to the City Origin side in the annual City against Country match after Hazem El Masri
had to withdraw because of injury. Simmons scored one try.
, Simmons has played regular first grade in the centres or on the wing.
. Panthers CEO Mick Leary told press, "David is a proven NRL player", but a shoulder injury in the trial match meant he was injured until round 14 but in the week after he played with Daine Laurie
, another injured Panther for the Windsor Wolves
.
Simmons made his Panthers first grade debut against the Dragons, Round 17 2010, scoring a try.
Simmons was a regular first grader for the Penrith Panthers
in season 2011. Playing 23 of the 24 games Simmons was the Panthers top try scorer with Lachlan Coote, scoring a total of 12 try's
It was announced in an E-mail sent to all Panthers members that David Simmons had resigned for another year at the Panthers.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player for the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
in the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
competition. His position of choice is at fullback, wing, or centre. David Simmons has recently signed with the Penrith Panthers for the 2010 season.
Early career
Being born and raised in the Sutherland ShireSutherland Shire
The Sutherland Shire is a Local Government Area in the Southern Sydney region of Sydney, Australia. Geographically, it is the area to the south of Botany Bay and the Georges River...
, David predominantly played soccer up until his late teens when a friend suggested he should try rugby league for his De La Salle school side, he did and was signed onto the Cronulla side as a junior not long after.
2003
After joining the Cronulla club Simmons quickly worked his way into the Sharks Jersey Flegg side, originally being positioned on the wing, he quickly became known for his agilityAgility
* Agility is a physical trait of an animal or person, and a component of physical fitness. It is the ability to change the body's position and direction with speed and precision.Agility may also refer to:In Sport:...
, pace and ability to score tries. He was a part of the Sharks nearly undefeated 2003 Flegg side which would only lose one game for the entirety of the season, key performances for the side quickly elevated Simmons in only a few games into the Sharks Premier League side.
While in the Sharks premier league team Simmons was quickly shifted from his more common role on the wing to a new position in fullback; after several impressive performances he was quickly earmarked as a potential first grade fullback of the future.
After limited time in premier league he made his debut for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in 2003 against the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
in round 22 at Aussie Stadium
Aussie Stadium
Sydney Football Stadium is located in Moore Park, in Sydney, New South Wales. It was built in 1988, to be the city's premier "rectangular field" for rugby league, rugby union and football for major matches and domestic competition...
yet again playing on the wing, he had an impressive game many times outpacing his opposite number in Todd Byrne
Todd Byrne
Todd Byrne is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for Hull in the Super League competition...
.
2004-2005
With the new season in 2004 Simmons was again relegated to the Sharks premier league side for the early part of the season, after some more impressive performances he was yet again in the first grade side and picked up his first try at the top level against North QueenslandNorth Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in round 5. Simmons continued to impress on the wing and occasionally at fullback for the Sharks throughout the 2004 season as he continued to score on a frequent basis both in first grade and occasionally in the lower grades.
After gradually playing more and more first grade game over the 2004 season, 2005 was where Simmons would eventually cement his spot in the Sharks side, he would play in nearly every game for the season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
usually on the wing but also again occasionally at his preferred fullback when club stalwart David Peachey
David Peachey
David Peachey is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback, he played the majority of his club football in the National Rugby League for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks...
was either injured or playing in the halves. He would go on to become the clubs top try scorer for the season crossing the try line a total of sixteen times.
2006
With David Peachey leaving the club in 2006, Simmons took over at fullback. During the 2006 season David tasted his first representativeCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
experience being called up to the City Origin side in the annual City against Country match after Hazem El Masri
Hazem El Masri
Hazem El Masri is a Lebanese-Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australia and Lebanon international, and New South Wales State of Origin representative winger, he played his entire club football career with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs with...
had to withdraw because of injury. Simmons scored one try.
2007-2009
With the arrival of new coach Ricky StuartRicky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...
, Simmons has played regular first grade in the centres or on the wing.
2010-
Simmons signed for two years with the Penrith PanthersPenrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
. Panthers CEO Mick Leary told press, "David is a proven NRL player", but a shoulder injury in the trial match meant he was injured until round 14 but in the week after he played with Daine Laurie
Daine Laurie
Daine Laurie is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. Laurie primarily plays as a prop and can operate in the second-row....
, another injured Panther for the Windsor Wolves
Windsor Wolves
The Windsor Wolves are a Rugby league team based in the town of Windsor, NSW. The club fields both junior and senior teams in the Penrith district competitions and, since 2003, the semi-professional NSWRL Jim Beam Cup competition in NSW, Australia...
.
Simmons made his Panthers first grade debut against the Dragons, Round 17 2010, scoring a try.
Simmons was a regular first grader for the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
in season 2011. Playing 23 of the 24 games Simmons was the Panthers top try scorer with Lachlan Coote, scoring a total of 12 try's
It was announced in an E-mail sent to all Panthers members that David Simmons had resigned for another year at the Panthers.
Religion
David Simmons is a Christian, becoming one after attending a youth group and hearing the gospel.External links
Other sources
- "Match Review - Round 22, 2003" by Rob Willis, Sharks Forever, retrieved 16 June 2006
- "For the love of God and the game", Sydney Anglicans, retrieved 16 June 2006