Carrara are big, hostile and own the competition’s best home-ground advantage – if the Bull Sharks plan to win a flag, these are the types of games they want to be playing.
The stakes keep getting bigger and so do the challenges for Bond University AFL club as they close in on their goal of securing a home final and the second chance.
Round 17 pitches the ladder-leading Bull Sharks against Carrara at Nielsen Oval. Only percentage separates the two sides and second-placed Burleigh Bombers which makes the equation simple: keep winning.
The challenge
Alan Neilsen Oval lacks the wide-open spaces of The Canal. Games there are generally tight and tough.
The Saints have built a playing list and game style that is perfectly adapted to their environment and Bull Sharks coach Luke Mansbridge wasn’t about to sugarcoat the challenge facing his side.
“Carrara at Carrara is always contested. The ground is that bit smaller and they play it really well,” he said.
“They are big so we just have to go to war across the whole ground.
“The last time we played them there they tore us apart at stoppages. We feel like we have come a long way since that day but it will be a huge test for us.’’
Where it will be won
Bond’s defence is one area they can match the Saints in size and they have repeatedly proven that if they win enough footy, the skill and foot speed is there to kick a winning score, so first-use out of the midfield is paramount.
The loss of Ollie Burrows-Cheng last week couldn’t have come at a worse time but the Bull Sharks showed in the win against the reigning premiers Coolangatta that they have depth across the park to cover his absence.
Against the Blues it was forward Matthew Smith who went into the middle when Burrows-Cheng was concussed early in the game, and he did a superb job.
Expect to see more of him around the ball on Saturday. Mansbridge will also be looking closely at any potential like-for-like replacements from the reserves side.
But ultimately, he has the confidence in the troops that have been getting the job done all season.
We have a couple of keys players out but we are still pretty strong,” he said.
“This will give an opportunity to someone, and everyone has stepped up to the mark so far.
“The talent is there, Matthew Smith went in and did a great job, but we also saw Jayden (Pengelly) and Axel (Moore) step up.”
So far this year
The Bull Sharks won their last battle in round 9 at The Canal by 44 points after generating a free-flowing game the Saints couldn’t match.
But earlier in the season in round 3 at Carrara it was a different story as the Saints muscled their way to a 29-point win.
“We couldn’t have played much worse than we did that day,” Mansbridge said.
“We feel like our process and our structure and what we have been training all year for has reached a level where we can absorb some injuries because players have shown they can step up.
“So we are confident, we are going in to win and if we don’t there will be no excuses.’’
Bond's QAFLW seniors and reserves have the pre-finals bye.