Bond University Rugby Head Coach Mick Heenan, who guided the Bull Sharks to their historic maiden Queensland Premier Rugby title, has re-signed with Bond through to 2029 – a decisive move that anchors the program’s future.
Heenan is already the most successful coach in Queensland Premier Rugby, having claimed seven Hospital Cup titles across his career.
It marks a refreshed and forward-focused structure for 2026, cementing long-term stability across its coaching and high-performance pathways while further integrating the University’s academic and athletic environments.
Super Rugby assistant coach and long serving Bull Sharks administrator Sean Hedger, who returns in the newly created General Manager of Rugby role, said extending Heenan was his first priority.
“Mick’s leadership, coaching acumen and ability to develop players across the entire pathway continues to be a cornerstone of Bond Rugby,” Hedger said.
“Despite the success of 2025, he is hungry for more. His ambition is clear: push for back-to-back Hospital Cups and pursue the Australian Club Championship in March 2026.”
In a major boost to Bond’s title defence, All Blacks great Rico Gear has been elevated from the Colts program to Heenan’s First Grade coaching panel, where he will take charge of defence and reconnect with many of the young players he has helped shape.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with the Colts, but stepping into prems feels like the natural progression,” Gear said.
“Bond has a strong coaching group with different strengths, and I’m looking forward to tightening our defensive systems and re-establishing those relationships with players I’ve coached before.”
Gear joins a proven coaching unit featuring Petrus du Plessis, who remains an assistant coach and now steps into a full-time dual role as a Teaching Fellow in Bond University’s Physiotherapy program.
His appointment creates a more direct link between Bond's academic excellence and the needs of a modern high-performance rugby program.
Bond Director of Sport Mike Collins said the strengthened integration is a vital step in the Club’s evolution.
“These are important steps for both the performance of our senior program and the development of the next generation coming through our pathways,” Collins said.
“We’re proud to welcome Sean back into the GM role, to retain Mick until 2029, and to strengthen the connection between our academic and athletic environments through Petrus’ dual appointment. With Rico and Adam stepping into expanded responsibilities, the Club is in an excellent position for sustained success.”
With Gear stepping up, Bond has secured another significant appointment in the pathway space, elevating Adam Fahey to lead the Colts program.
Fahey, who served as Gear’s assistant in 2025, brings extensive experience as a coach, administrator, and driving force behind the Gold Coast Cyclones representative pathway.
Hedger said Fahey’s promotion reflects Bond’s commitment to a clear and consistent talent pipeline.
“Adam knows the system, knows our young players, and understands the standards required to transition them successfully into grades,” he said.
“These moves provide stability and strong leadership for the next generation of Bond players.”
Bond Rugby’s 2026 structure reinforces the Club’s long-term strategy: a stable coaching core led by Heenan, elevated developmental pathways, and a deepened alignment between academic programs and elite sport.
With the Club targeting national honours and sustainable success, the Bull Sharks enter the new season with confidence, clarity and genuine momentum.