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David Peachey's secret hideout
February 7, 2004
THERE are only about five houses in Condah, Victoria. There's the Condah pub, which offers live music, an aboriginal mission and the Crawford River Winery.
Yet The Daily Telegraph understands this tiny town and its surrounding areas, which boast a population of only a few hundred people, was the secret hiding place this week of David Peachey, the Cronulla fullback.
Peachey returned to Sharks training yesterday and spoke for the first time about his desire to forget his few days in Condah and get back to top-level rugby league.
The former NSW State of Origin fullback left for Dubbo last week to escape personal problems but hero status in his hometown forced him south to Condah, near the Victoria-South Australia border.
Peachey would not elaborate on his problems but stressed he would not go AWOL again.
"I have to earn respect from the coaching staff and players and make sure it doesn't happen again," Peachey said.
"And I know that it won't happen again. We just have to go forward."
Although he is now back at training, Peachey who is in the final year of his contract will be stood down from Cronulla's trial match against a combined Central Coast side tonight in Gosford.
"It's been tough but the personal issues are something I'll deal with in-house," said Peachey. "It has affected me and I had to clear my head.
"The thing that hurt me the most was not being with the boys. But when you see excitement when you get back it makes you that bit hungrier.
"I just want to play again and make amends."
Peachey denied speculation that he was ready to quit rugby league.
Asked whether he had considered retirement, Peachey said: "Not at all. It didn't even cross my mind. I was never going to walk away from this club or rugby league.
"Rugby league has been my life. We just have to move on. This is behind us now.
"I've disrupted our pre-season for a week and that's something we've spoken about and we will now move forward and make sure everything is positive.
"When I got back here today, one of the first things I wanted to do was get straight back into it."
Asked if he would apologise to team-mates, Peachey said: "I think individually. But I don't think it's an issue where you want to sit them all down."
Cronulla's coach Stuart Raper last night gave reasons why Peachey was dropped for tonight's trial.
"'Peach' has been away and he hasn't really trained for the last week," Raper said.
"I don't think he is mentally or physically quite right to play. I didn't want to expose him to that.
"That's the main reason he won't play but it's good to have him back.
"'Peach' has to give something back in return."
Cronulla president Barry Pierce stressed Peachey would avoid disciplinary action.
"It was out of character. I accept his explanation," Pierce said. "We have been concerned." THE Sydney Roosters continue to wait for renegade centre Justin Hodges, who was spotted on the Gold Coast on Thursday night.
"Justin hasn't got a decision to make," Roosters coach Ricky Stuart said. "He has four more years to go at the Roosters and has been given two weeks' leave.
"If he is not back at training on Monday, he will be disciplined, but certainly not released.
"This hasn't created any interruption to our players or training schedule and I'm not going to let that happen."
