Peachey arrested for brawling

Cronulla rugby league player David Peachey was arrested and released without charge after a mass brawl in Sydney's Kings Cross last night.

Officers say the brawl was sparked when they tried to stop a fight between two men. Other people, believed to be relatives of the pair, then attacked the police, according to officers.

One of the suburb's main streets, Darlinghurst Road, was closed for a short time while police restored order.

A total of eight people were arrested and taken to the local police station for questioning, but police say that four of them, including Peachey, were later released without charge.

The others will face court at a later date.

This morning the Cronulla Rugby League Club said Peachey had been trying to stop an altercation between members of his family, and said it was unlikely that any further disciplinary action would be taken against him.

Sharks chief executive Steve Rogers told the League Correspondent that Peachey had been at a function in Rushcutters Bay earlier in the evening to launch a Christmas CD to benefit his charity foundation.

"It's really disappointing that what should have been such a positive night, and there should have been nothing but positive press today as a result of what David launched last night, has ended up in this type of incident," Rogers said.

"I'm sure as anyone can appreciate, if you've got immediate family in any type of altercation you're going to do your best to try and step in and stop that, and that's simply what David was trying to do," he continued.

"He certainly hasn't been charged, but it's disappointing that he, and his family for that matter, where involved at all."