The Great Whites: David Hatch

Author: Ashley Taylor Sharks Historian
Timestamp: Wed 26 Nov 2025, 03:20 PM

In this week's episode of The Great Whites, we sit down with Shark #132, the legendary David "Danga" Hatch, for a deep dive into all things Cronulla Sharks.

From his gritty rise through the grades to the drama of the 1978 Grand Final replay and that unforgettable charge to the 1988 minor premiership – Danga doesn't hold back. We talk coaches, culture and classic yarns from the sheds. It's raw, real and packed with Shark pride.

Watch the full interview in the player below. The audio version can be heard on Apple, Spotify and all podcast apps.

The Great Whites: David Hatch

A local junior from the Gymea Gorillas Club, Hatch was a key member of the 1973 Harold Matthews Cup team that beat Penrith to claim one of the club's first major trophies.

Hatch quickly moved through the grades at Cronulla, and in 1978, as an 18-year-old, was chosen to sit on the bench through the finals – including the replayed Grand Final against the Manly Sea Eagles. Despite not getting onto the field, it showed that coach Norm Provan saw great potential in the rangy, raw-boned teenage back rower.

On April 8, 1979, Hatch made his first-grade debut when he was used off the bench in the Round 3 clash with the Balmain Tigers at Endeavour Field. The Sharks were humbled by the Tigers 14-5, but Hatch showed enough promise to warrant promotion to the starting side the following week against the Eastern Suburbs Roosters, a game the Sharks lost 16-5. A shattered kneecap sidelined him for an extended period, and although he returned to the field later in the year, he was unable to recapture his early-season form.

In 1980, Hatch failed to add to his first-grade game tally, switching between the Under 23s and reserve grade. Then-first-grade coach Tommy Bishop later lamented overlooking Hatch that season.

Sharks 1981 coach Greg Pierce thankfully didn't share Bishop's assessment and was quick to promote Hatch to his starting side. It was in the back row that Hatch remained for the rest of the season, playing 21 competition matches.

Anything that could go wrong did for the Sharks in 1982. A mid-season slump saw the side languishing on just 13 competition points at the halfway mark, effectively ending their finals hopes. Despite several off-season purchases, the club struggled to replace the impact of departing prop Paul Khan, while injuries to key players Mick Mullane and five-eighth Gary Wright further compounded their woes.

There were, however, a few bright spots amid the disappointment. The season marked the coming of age of Gavin Miller, whose strong performances hinted at the career that would follow, and the consistent form of diminutive halfback Perry Haddock provided spark and stability around the ruck.

At season's end, club stalwart Greg Pierce announced his retirement, citing a desire to spend more time with his wife and young family, closing the chapter on one of Cronulla's most respected careers.

The one constant for the Sharks throughout a turbulent year was Hatch. The tireless forward featured in 23 matches and crossed for four tries, embodying the determination and resilience that would define his later years as captain.

The arrival of Terry Fearnley as first-grade coach in 1983 nearly resulted in Hatch being lost to the Sharks.

In a 2025 interview with The Rugby League Review, Hatch said: "Fearnley brought over a few forwards from Wests like (George) Moroko and (Paul) Merlo and I was told they had enough players. I was looking for a contract and spoke to South Sydney and Newtown. I was ready to go and play park football with Gymea."

Fate smiled on Hatch less than a month later. The club's committee and secretary Arthur Winn were sacked, leaving the Sharks in turmoil. Coach Terry Fearnley, his players reduced to half-pay, was desperate for experience and gave Hatch a call. Three weeks after leaving the club without a home, Hatch was a Shark once again.

Season 1984 brought signs of progress for the Sharks, offering enough improvement from the previous year to suggest brighter days ahead. The Sharks finished 10th on the premiership ladder.

The end-of-season review highlighted the team's ability to score points from almost anywhere on the field, but also revealed a troubling defensive record, with costly errors often coming at crucial stages of matches.

Regarded largely as a rebuilding year, Fearnley drew on an unprecedented 31 players throughout the campaign as the club sought to identify the right combinations.

The season also saw the emergence of several promising local juniors, including Jonathan Docking and Michael Porter, who would go on to become household names in the Shire.

Among the standouts was Hatch, whose tireless consistency and leadership began to shine. Reflecting on the season, Fearnley praised his contribution, remarking: "David Hatch was outstanding considering he was a player the club didn't look like keeping before this year."

A key moment in Hatch's career came in 1985 while under the coaching of Jack Gibson. After losing Steve Rogers in the opening match through injury, Gibson allowed the squad to vote on who they thought should captain the side. A youthful squad, brimming with local and emerging talent, were quick to identify that to reach their potential, a hardnosed, no-nonsense captain was required. Enter David Hatch!

Previously regarded as a player with limited skills, under Gibson, Hatch developed into a fine all-round player in the space of less than a season.

Hatch's leadership qualities in that first season were recognised by the NSWRL when he was named the 1985 Dally M Captain of the Year, coinciding with selection in the Presidents XIII team chosen to tour Papua New Guinea.

A dark cloud seemed to hang over Ronson Oval throughout the 1986 season, as a horrific injury toll crippled any hope the Sharks had of making the playoffs. Captain Hatch, along with key players Dane Sorensen, Greg Nixon, Dean Carney, Barry Russell and Jonathan Docking, all spent extended periods on the sidelines. At one stage, Gibson was forced to contend with as many as 18 players unavailable through injury or suspension.

Despite being limited to just 17 appearances, Hatch earned Gibson's praise at season's end. "Skipper David Hatch always gave his customary 110 per cent effort and received good support up front," Gibson said.

A lack of player depth again proved costly for the Sharks in 1987 as they narrowly missed out on the playoffs. After looking a genuine premiership threat through the opening rounds, Cronulla faltered badly in the back half of the season, managing only three wins and a draw from their final fixtures. The side's impressive early-season form was reflected in representative honours, with Greg Nixon, Andrew Ettingshausen, Mark McGaw, Sean Watson, Craig Dimond, Glenn Coleman and Jonathan Docking all selected for the annual City v Country clashes.

Captain Hatch was restricted to just 14 appearances for the year. An injury in the opening match sidelined him for an extended period, during which Greg Nixon assumed the captaincy.

Hatch returned late in the season, but the Sharks' campaign finished on a disappointing note with five consecutive losses.

"I got 14 stitches across my eye; I kept opening up. I tried to tape it all up, but in the end I couldn't see out of it. It took its toll that year," Hatch recalled.

In 1988, under new coach Allan Fitzgibbon, Hatch led a star-studded side featuring club legends Gavin Miller, Andrew Ettingshausen, Jonathan Docking and Mark McGaw to the club's first minor premeirship. The final match of the regular season, played in front of a full house at Caltex Oval, saw the Sharks defeat the St George Dragons 16-14 and claim top spot, which ultimately meant a saloon passage straight through to the major semi final in week two of the finals.

"Leading up to that year (1988), Jack (Gibson) had done all the hard work, along with Allan (Fitzgibbon), who was his assistant. We were ready to go in '88. We had the side, all our juniors had matured, we had the material, we had the arsenal, we were fortunate enough to win the minor premiership," Hatch recalls.

Unfortunately, the Sharks failed to capitalise on their extraordinary season, losing their first finals match to eventual premiers the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, and then their second match to an Ellery Hanley-inspired Balmain Tigers.

At the annual Dally M Awards night, Hatch was honoured as the Dally M Captain of the Year for the second time in his career.

After the success of 1988, many thought 1989 would be the season the Sharks faithful could finally 'turn off the porch light'. A loss to the Illawarra Steelers in the final round of the season saw the Sharks fall from third to fifth, resulting in a playoff with the Brisbane Broncos.

Despite accounting for a star-studded Broncos outfit in what many believe was one of the club's finest-ever performances, a date with eventual premiers the Canberra Raiders proved a bridge too far and the Sharks' season was ended.

On July 29, 1990, Hatch played his final game for the Sharks in their Round 18 clash with the St George Dragons. Cronulla were soundly beaten 28-6 in front of 12,163 fans at Kogarah Oval, but it wasn't only the scoreboard that took a battering with Hatch forced from the field with a fractured cheekbone – an injury that put a punctation mark on an incredible thirteen-season career.

Recalling the injury in 2025, Hatch said: "I ran into Brad Mackay's head – Brad was their lock forward – I ran into his head and broke my cheekbone in three places. I stayed on, it went numb, it was getting bigger and bigger. The Dragons players were all laughing at me, they called me 'the elephant man'."

The accolades continued post career for Hatch when, in 2012, he was named in the Gymea Gorillas' best-ever team, named to mark the club's 50th anniversary.