There is a certain type of cricketer who is the backbone of a Grade club who turns up every week, plays his heart out and encourages his team mates along the way to do their best at all times. There are several players in this category but when it has continued for 13 seasons it is special.

Dave Monaghan epitomizes what the Gordon Cricket club stands for which is to strive for excellence, respect your opponents, succeed as a team, and provide leadership with humility. He meets all of these values every time he steps onto the field to represent his club.

While this is not a retirement story, the club thought it important to recognise this 200 game milestone and look forward to many more milestones for Dave in the coming seasons.

Dave started with Gordon in the 2010/11 season and took a modest 14 wickets and scored 146 runs. The Captain’s Report by Tim Packman made the following comment about Dave.

Monners was our opening outswing bowler. A softly spoken young man, from up Central Coast way and recently engaged. He developed as the season progressed, and with a little more consistency he could be a real handful and strike bowler. It would be good to see Monners, and his wife to be, back next season.

Dave certainly took Tim’s advice and took 26 wickets and scored 427 runs at 38.83 in the following season (2011/12). He was the 3rd highest run scorer in the competition (batting at 8 and 9) and was the Man of the Match in the Grand Final against Sydney Uni.

While this was a great achievement, his best season for Gordon however came in the following year 2012/13. Dave scored 620 runs at 36.47 and took 32 wickets. For good measure he also took 13 catches in the field. Dave captained the side that season and they won the premiership.

Dave came second in the Victor Trumper Player of the Year Award with 19 points, unfortunately one point behind Harry Evans who scored 598 runs and took 35 wickets in the season. It was in this season that Dave was officially labelled as the “World’s greatest fifth grader”.

Dave didn’t play in 2013/14 season after he announced in the annual report “I will take time off for family work and study”. The club was concerned this might be the end of Dave’s involvement with the club and there was much relief when he arrived at practice at the start of the 2014/15 season.

Dave played the next six seasons in 5^th grade averaging 230 runs and 25 wickets each season. He then played a season in 4^th grade and three seasons playing in 4^th and 5ths with similar results. His contribution as an allrounder was always important.

After many seasons of being in the mix for the Player of the Year award he finally secured it in a Joint Award with Charlie Stobo in the 2019/20 season. Dave scored 322 runs and took 23 wickets in that season and with a 3/2/1 voting system for the best performance in each match he tied with Charlie.

Dave also holds two club partnership records, with a 9^th wicket partnership in 5^th grade of 91 with Sam Watts in 2016 and a 10^th wicket partnership of 80 in 2011 in 5^th grade with Matt Todd.

Several of Dave’s fellow players and club officials wanted to add their congratulations to Dave and they are as follows:

Steve Bristow

It’s a great achievement to play 200 games for one club, let alone at the standard at which David Monaghan has played them. The 5th grade GOAT has always had a smile on his face and truly epitomises the spirt of cricket. I’ve been lucky to play the last 6-7 years with my now good mate, and I credit him with allowing me to enjoy the game again. A game that I’ll always remember Monners showing us all how good a player he is was in the 20/21 season against Fairfield. He picked up 4 wickets and that day I asked him to open up the batting and he knocked off 131 in rapid fire time. At 40 years old he is still one of the fittest at the club so I wouldn’t be surprised if the GOAT gets to 250 games. Congrats mate! 

 

Matt Todd

Dave is the ultimate clubman. Personally, I would say he is a lovely, kind and gentle soul. He was great to play cricket with, not only because of these attributes but also because of his talent with bat, ball and in the field. In the years we won a couple of 5^th grade premierships Dave was an integral part and I have continued to follow his performances for Gordon online each week.So, in summary…top cricketer, top bloke, and could bake a wicked slice for tea cake.Congratulations Dave on your 200 games.

 

Stuart Bromley

Dave, a certain taker of bulk wickets each and every season, he is unbelievably reliable, bringing the ability bowl all day with the new or old ball and consistently deliver damage to batting line ups. Taking so many wickets has seen him labelled more as a bowler and he often batted late in the order, but it should be noted (and I’m sure he wants it noted) that as an opener he can be completely destructive with big runs extremely quickly, taking games away from the opposition.
It’s not really fair, but he is also typically the best fielder in the sides he’s in and why stop there – he’s easily the best touch footballer in the warm-up, putting the young guys to shame. Somehow, he doesn’t show signs of ageing! Separately to his ridiculously strong stats – the most memorable moment showing his dedication to the cause was seeing daylight through his lip when he put the stags first and dived head-first into a concrete boundary to save a 4. He also managed to break a finger – definitely no easy runs on offer from Dave in the field!

 

Geoff Hickman

Dave has been an absolute ICON to the Stags over the past 15 years and whilst known as the 5th grade GOAT, he has also excelled when asked to play higher grades, especially in 4ths and also 3rds from time to time. Dave will have many memories of his favourite games, but for me it was the 2012/13 5th grade grand final against St George played at Pratten Park. Gordon batted first and were bowled out for 139 with Dave top scoring with 46. St George were cruising at 2 for 108. They then lost their last 8 wickets for 13 to be bowled out for 121. As captain Dave rallied his team with that always positive attitude and master stroke in bringing on Matt Selby who took 5 for 15 as the number 5 bowler used. Dave then went out and scored 62 in the 2nd innings as Gordon finished at 6 for 146 and premiers. The GOAT was locked in. Interestingly other players who played in that side were Axel Cahlin, Nick Miller, Matt Todd and Dom Thomson.

His contribution off the field has also been immense as captain over various seasons and a small thing that sums up Dave to me was a pre-season trial at Gore Hill at the start of this season. Dave was injured and couldn’t play but rang me and offered to come along and assist. He turned up before the start of play and umpired for most of the day. Not expected but always happy to assist. A great club member.

Gordon District Cricket Club 5^th Grade Premiers 2012-13

Sherwood Cup

Back Row (l to r) Jack Richardson, Orion Dowler, Matthew Todd, Nick Miller, Deva Nirthanakumaran

Front Row (l to r), Dom Thomson, Andrew Coleman, Matt Selby, David Monaghan (Capt.), Axel Cahlin, Darren Jayasekara

 

Gordon District Cricket Club members don’t come any better than Dave Monaghan. Here’s to another 200 games.

 Paul Stephenson