Tributes flow, black armbands worn for Gold Coast sport and Tugun Seahawks pioneer Peter Nichols

Black armbands were worn when Tugun took on Burleigh, in honour of a man who, had it not been for his service, the club “would not be what it is today”.

UPDATE: With his two grandsons donning black armbands in his honour, Tugun Seahawks legend Peter Nichols received a fitting farewell.

One of the early fathers of the Rugby League Gold Coast club, Nichols’ death on July 31 after a long battle with liver cancer has left a gaping hole, yet a lasting legacy in the blue jersey.

A minute of silence was held prior to kick off in the under-16s division two Seahawks match, with the Seahawks life member’s grandsons taking the field.

“We didn’t win the game, but it was played in the right spirit and we enjoyed the day. I didn’t want to make the focus of ‘winning it for pop’, it was enjoy yourself, play hard but fair and come off with a smile,” Nichols son Luke said.

“It was very touching to have that silence and reflect on dads contribution to the junior club and football in general.

“When dad’s eldest grandson started playing football it was a really special moment given it was for a club he helped form. I think we’ll be there a while yet and dad was very proud his grandsons were playing.”

Peter Nichols (left) has passed away and left behind a huge legacy at the Tugun Seahawks

Nichols was part of the Seahawks fabric from the moment the club was formed in the late 1970s, going on to coach the A-grade team in 1983 following a season with the reserve side.

In addition to several periods mentoring the Tugun youngsters, he served on the Seahawks’ junior committee as president, secretary, treasurer and was club patron in 2022.

In a Facebook post in honour of Nichols, Tugun Seahawks Junior Rugby League Football Club touched on a moment in the early 2000s when they saw former juniors drifting away from the senior units to the point n under-19s team struggled to form.

It was Nichols who brought in Jimmy Murdoch — as well as a handful of other Seahawks members — to form Tugun’s own junior club.

“The juniors were always very close to Nicho; s heart and never ever far from his thoughts,” the post read.

“He would literally discuss the club daily with his sons, always giving his time and support to the many Seahawks players.

“Our club is a real legacy to Peter ‘Nicho’ Nichols and it’s founding members, as well as the many hard working members since.

“Thank you Nicho, our club would not be what it is today without you.”

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Luke said the Seahawks became Nichols' extended family, after moving to the Gold Coast from Sydney on the back of his time as the Cronulla Sharks’ Jersey Flegg coach.

He even spent time working in advertising at the Gold Coast Bulletin, and it was always rugby league and fostering junior talent that held his heart.

“The memory I always have about dad is really like being in a football shed,” Luke said.

“Whenever you smell the heat cream it reminds you of so many things, and I just think my memories of dad are certainly around his collection of close mates and just also being a part of this community at Tugun.

“We as a family, I think we’ve moved a little bit passed the sadness and now are in celebration of his life. It’s been really good, I’ve reconnected with so many people over the last week who have rung up as I get around to organising his funeral and wake.

“It’s been really nice catching up with people to celebrate a pretty full life that dad lived and understand the impact he had on different people.”

Tugun would ultimately go down to Burleigh in a tense 20-18 contest at Pizzey Park on Sunday, with Bears coach Matt Foster celebrating his 100th game at the helm in style.

Burleigh Bears A-Grade coach Matt Foster. Picture: Jerad Williams

INITIAL: Tributes flow, black armbands worn for Gold Coast sport pioneer

Black armbands will be worn across the Tugun Seahawks ranks in honour of a man who, had it not been for his service, the club “would not be what it is today”.

Life member Peter ‘Nicho’ Nichols died on July 31 aged 77, leaving behind a legacy that stretches across the age groups who don the blue jersey.

Nichols was part of the Seahawks fabric from the moment the club was formed in the late 1970s, going on to coach the A-grade team in 1983 following a season with the reserve side.

In addition to several periods mentoring the Tugun youngsters, he served on the Seahawks’ junior committee as president, secretary, treasurer and was club patron in 2022.

In a Facebook post in honour of Nichols, Tugun Seahawks Junior Rugby League Football Club touched on a moment in the early 2000s when they saw former juniors drifting away from the senior units to the point n under-19s team struggled to form.

It was Nichols who brought in Jimmy Murdoch — as well as a handful of other Seahawks members — to form Tugun’s own junior club.

“The juniors were always very close to Nicho; s heart and never ever far from his thoughts,” the post read.

“He would literally discuss the club daily with his sons, always giving his time and support to the many Seahawks players.

“Our club is a real legacy to Peter ‘Nicho’ Nichols and it’s founding members, as well as the many hard working members since.

“Thank you Nicho, our club would not be what it is today without you.”

Tugun will take on the Burleigh Bears in the A-grade from 3pm on Sunday at Pizzey Park.

More to come.