A season to remember : Bull Sharks Rugby

The Bull Sharks enjoyed the most successful year in the club’s history in 2024.

The premierships in U18s and Third Grade and the three-peat for the Premier Women were the first time the club had won multiple trophies across different grades. 

Bull Sharks also shone on the world stage with Maddison and Teagan Levi and Hayden Sargeant representing Australia in Rugby 7s at the Paris Olympics and wheelchair rugby players Ella Sabljak, Brayden Foxley-Connolly and Emillie Miller winning bronze with the Steelers at the Paralympics.

In the 15-a-side game, John Eales Rugby Excellence scholarship recipient Angus Blyth made his Wallabies debut while nine players from the all-conquering Bull Sharks women’s program played Super W for the Queensland Reds.   

We asked Head of Rugby Grant Anderson to provide a state of play for the season and his expectations for 2025.  

The season highlight:

I think winning dual premierships was the highlight of the season. Our Women dominated the competition to win their third premiership in a row and our Third Grade went undefeated in the finals to bring the cup back to the club. On top of that, the first U18s side we have fielded went through their season undefeated to win the Lightning Premiership. 

The summer focus:  

We are transitioning into our Sevens program over the next 2 months so there will be a big focus on winning the State Championships again. Training starts mid-November and we have high expectations for all our players to be hitting the gym in the build up to pre-season 2025. Recruitment never stops and we are targeting some positions. We already have quality players at the club, and it is essential that we provide a pathway for them to develop their rugby and reach their playing goals.  

Three cheers for:                                                                                                         Peter Jones was granted a Life membership at our recent awards night. He has been a mainstay of the club for the past 22 years and is returning next year. All our volunteer managers deserve recognition for the work they do. We have 20 plus Colts graduating into the senior teams next year and I think we will see some of them shine in the Premier Grades. Young players like Zeb Misios, Harry Bell and Callum Simpson were very good. We again had the highest points scorers in the competition in Hamish Roberts and Mel Wilks while Rhian Stowers won his second consecutive Slipper Trophy for Best Player. 

Everyone fell in love with:

There was a real rally behind our Third Grade team as they pushed into finals. Our Women’s team remain the “darlings” of the competition and there was a standing ovation for Jonesy as he collected his Life Membership. 

Expect big things from:

I am really keen to see how the Colts coming into the senior grades are going to perform next year. Some of them have already gained experience in Premier Grade and that will only hold them in good stead. Colts coach Rico Gear has done a great job laying the foundation with these players in the Colts years and I think they are primed to step up in 2025. 

Competition Awards:

Batty Bremmer Thomas Trophy, Brailsford Brown Cup, Premier Women premiership and Third Grade premiership.  Leading point scorers Hamish Roberts, Mel Wilks.

Club Awards

Colts 2

Best Back: Jackson Wood

Best Forward: Kenneth Harris

Best & Fairest: Ryan Wildman

Colts 1

Best Back: Sam Howarth

Best Forward: Harry Bell

Best and Fairest: Blake Raymond

3^rd Grade

Best Back: Justin Bernstein

Best Forward: James Mateiwai

Best and Fairest: Petrus du Plessis

2^nd Grade

Best Back: Guy Wolton

Best Forward: Helaman Swerling

Best and Fairest: Toby Mayes

Premier Women

Best Back: Melanie Wilks

Best Forward: Zoe Hanna

Best and Fairest: Zoe Hanna

1^st Grade

Best Back: Tyler Campbell

Best Forward: Jack Winchester

The Slipper Trophy 

1^st Grade Player of the Year: Rhian Stowers

7’s Best and Fairest

Men’s: Fred Dorrough

Women’s: Amahli Hala

Wheelchair Rugby 

Best and Fairest: Lil Prucha

Stoten Trophy 

Under 18’s Player of the Year: Callum Simpson

Fabian Fay Club Person of the Year

Lawrence Faifua, Melanie Wilks

Life Member

Peter Jones

Wallabies

Angus Blyth, Zane Nonggorr, Josh Canham

Wallaroos

Melanie Wilks, Eva Karpani, 

Australian 7’s

Maddison Levi, Teagan Levi, Hayden Sargeant

Olympians

Maddison Levi, Teagan Levi, Hayden Sargeant

Paralympians

Ella Sabljak, Emilie Miller, Brayden Foxley-Connolly

100 Games

Struan Robertson, Guy Wolton, Vincent Quigley.