By Alexandra Fairfield-Smith
They might be the smartest sporting team ever assembled.
The Bull Sharks Opens Elite Premier League all-student netball side features future doctors, lawyers, politicians and business leaders.
On Friday nights, they swap lecture theatres for bibs and centre passes and last weekend, they proved they can topple the competition heavyweights too.
The girls became the first team to defeat top-of-the-ladder team Southport-Carrara this season, claiming a thrilling 43-42 win.
For coach and Masters of Occupational Therapy student Jess Eyres, the result was a reward for a group that has embraced the challenge of balancing demanding studies with competitive netball.
"I think for a lot of us it's a nice outlet," she said.
"It breaks up the studying and gives us something to look forward to with training and games. It's a really supportive group of girls as well. If someone has a super busy week with uni, we all support each other."
The squad features students studying medicine, law, international relations and biomedical science, juggling packed academic schedules alongside their sporting commitments.
Despite their achievements in the classroom, Jess said the team's success comes down to more than just intelligence.
"We've got so many girls that are juggling so much," she said.
"We've got med students, girls excelling in law and bio med, who are obviously very academic, but also incredibly athletic and lovely people as well."
The team's competitive edge has been strengthened with weekly training sessions and access to Bond's High-Performance Training Centre, helping create a professional atmosphere.
Jess has spent much of the season coaching from the sidelines while recovering from an ACL injury. This Friday, however, she's set to make her long-awaited return.
"I'm super excited," she said.
Having coached and played with a lot of the girls previously, Jess believes the group's willingness to work together has been one of their greatest strengths.
"They're super responsive. We work together to improve, and it's a really nice dynamic.”