Bond is heading west for UniSport Nationals with more than 150 students across 11 different sports set to make the trip to Perth this weekend.
Leading the Bull Sharks will be 2026 team captains, Jessica Eyres and Alfie Lynch, who will help guide the Bond contingent throughout the week.
Master of Occupational Therapy student Jessica Eyres will represent Bond in netball for her fourth year at Nationals while also taking on the added responsibility of team captain.
“It was such an honour when I was asked if I would like to be one of the captains for this year’s Nationals," she said.
"I had to say yes.
"What a great experience."
While each team will face its own challenges this week, Eyres believes Bond’s tight-knit community will be a real strength.
“There are very few people across the entire team that you don’t know beforehand,” she said.
“I feel like that just really helps with the culture and the atmosphere when everyone’s already mates.”
For Eyres, helping maintain that connection will be an important part of her role throughout the week.
She said the position is mainly about being someone other athletes can come to, while also acting as a point of contact between the students and Bond staff.
“It’s a massive week and can be pretty draining,” she said.
I will just be checking in, making sure everyone’s doing okay."
On the court, Eyres is confident Bond’s netball teams can have a strong week in Perth.
She said both the women's and mixed teams are among the strongest Bond has had during her four years of competing, with some state-level players in the squads.
“We’ve got two really strong teams,” she said.
“I’m feeling good going into this year.”
For Eyres, however, this Nationals will also mark the end of her time competing at the event.
Having previously competed at Nationals on the Gold Coast and in Canberra, Perth will be her fourth and final UniSport Nationals before she graduates from Bond.
She said Canberra, two years ago, remains her favourite Nationals experience, largely because of the time spent together as a team.
“Uni Games in Canberra two years ago was so much fun, just staying with the team.
"I made some of my closest friends on that trip,” she said.
With her final Nationals now just days away, Eyres is looking forward to getting back out there and making the most of her last week competing for Bond.
“I’ll be graduating, so it’s even more special,” she said.
Across the teams
Bond’s mixed touch team will be looking to build on last year’s performance after taking home a bronze medal at the 2025 UniSport Nationals.
Mixed touch team leader, Cooper Rathie, said this year’s team has a mix of experienced athletes who know what Nationals demands and new players looking to experience it for the first time.
The team has been training a couple of times a week since the beginning of last semester and has continued to build heading into Perth.
The Bond women’s netball team has also been preparing since the start of semester two and, despite some injuries along the way, has built a strong group heading into Nationals.
Women’s netball team leader, Rhianna Hunter, said the team is excited to finally get to Perth and experience the week together.
“We are definitely the keenest to just get out there and have so much fun with each other, the mixed netball team and all the other sports from Bond,” she said.
The women’s touch team has also put plenty of work into its preparation, with team leader Holly Fairhall saying the time spent together has helped bring the group closer.
“Everyone comes from different states, degrees and friendship groups, but it’s created such a good team dynamic and honestly feels like a little family now,” she said.
For the entire Bond team, the week will be about more than just the games, with the athletes looking forward to exploring Perth and making the most of the experience together.