| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Simmons | |||||
| Nickname | The Monz | |||||
| Born | 6 December 1984 Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Height | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | |||||
| Weight | 95 kg (14 st 13 lb) | |||||
| Playing information | ||||||
| Position | Fullback, Wing, Centre | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2003–2009 | Cronulla Sharks | 112 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 216 |
| 2010– | Penrith Panthers | 17 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| Total | 129 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 256 | |
| Representative | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2006 | City | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| As of 28th March, 2011 | ||||||
David Simmons (born 6 December 1984 in Sutherland, New South Wales) is an Australian 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.
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Being born and raised in the Sutherland Shire, 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.
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 agility, 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.[1]
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 Queensland 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.
With David Peachey leaving the club in 2006, Simmons took over at fullback. During the 2006 season David tasted his first representative 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.
With the arrival of new coach Ricky Stuart, Simmons has played regular first grade in the centres or on the wing.
Simmons signed for two years with the Penrith Panthers. Panthers CEO Mick Leary told press, "David is a proven NRL player",[1] 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.[2] 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.
David Simmons is a Christian, becoming one after attending a youth group and hearing the gospel.[3]
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