When Kain Ford arrived at the Bull Sharks last year, it was with a clear plan - to teach and learn.
Pretty appropriate for a university football club.
He wanted to lace-up the boots for one more year as a player where his experience at higher levels could teach the Bull Sharks how to take the next step. And he wanted to learn from a legend, Shaun Hart, so he could take over and begin his own coaching career.
Now deep into his first season as senior coach he’s got the Bull Sharks sitting on top of the QFA ladder with a team that looks nothing like the one he inherited.
The off-season coaching transition coincided with a major list overhaul. What emerged was a young, tight-knit, student-heavy squad - 32 players currently in the program are students. What they’ve lacked in experience, they’ve made up for in energy, culture and connection. “Before games, we’re just bouncing out of our skins,” Ford says.
Crucial to that has been Hart’s enduring influence. A three-time AFL premiership player and 2001 Norm Smith Medallist, Hart has stepped into a cultural leadership role that plays to his strengths: mentoring young players and guiding coaches. His ongoing work behind the scenes gives Ford the confidence to coach boldly, while also reinforcing the cultural standards Hart was known for in his playing days. Together, they’ve created a program built on discipline, clarity, and care.
Ford, a former QAFL premiership player and Queensland rep has built a brand of football based on relentless defensive pressure and clear role definition. It’s simple footy, executed well - and the results speak for themselves.
With finals approaching, Ford says the group is staying grounded. “There’s no trophy given out in July,” he warns, though few would bet against this tight-knit, energetic outfit enjoying a deep finals run.
Top of the ladder with four games to go. What’s the secret?
There has been a number of things but it starts with culture. A Bull Sharks footballer is someone who is prepared to play their role, not one who wants to be a superstar. You get a spot in the seniors if you're playing your role. I really emphasised that at the start of the year and the boys bought in.
What’s clicking?
At the start of the season there was talk about us being so young and inexperienced and perhaps vulnerable against the older, more physical teams. But regardless of their age, the boys crack in. So that's never been a problem, in fact it's one of our strengths because we're so full of energy and beans. Before the game we’re just bouncing out of our skins...it's awesome.
And off the field?
We've got good leadership off the field. We’ve got Maxy (Matthew Kennedy) in strength and conditioning, Andy Lovell as head of footy and Shaun Hart is able to go back into a role, which is more around culture and individual training for players.
And then obviously just keeping the team level-headed because we're going quite well. It's still the old adage - take one week at a time and respect our opponent and try to play the same way each week.
You’re on top, does that make you comfortable?
Yes and no. Coolangatta are right behind us. Obviously we want to be on top, but I also think we play our best when we're hunting opposition teams, not the hunted.
I still feel like Burleigh and Coolangatta are the teams to beat. I keep reminding the boys that we haven’t earnt anything yet, we're on top of the ladder but it’s the middle of July. There's no trophy given out at this time of year.
You've got to sit back and be grateful of how far we've come. We had a high turnover of players in the offseason, so to have that sort of turnover and to be where we are is pretty crazy.
What is Bull Sharks footy?
The key ingredient is relentless pressure and that’s what we build our game on. I feel like when our pressure is up, it doesn't matter if we're a bit clumsy on offence or our ball use is a bit boring or safe. We bring our pressure on defence and we're in the game no matter what. Our defensive pressure is elite.
Any big changes this year?
The boys are so tight this year. Last year there was a lot of moving pieces, we had a mix of new young players and older players so there was a lot of disconnect in the group. When we had a few injuries later in the year, that came to the fore. This year everyone that runs out on the weekend together would happily go and have beers afterwards together as well, which is obviously great for culture.
Also having a consistent game plan. I've made it simple and outlined it for them since day one. If you want to play seniors, these are all the roles and if you want to get a spot in the senior side, you've got to fill one of those roles. It’s never ever based off just talent or anything like that. It's based off who's in form or who can provide that role for the team.
I think a consistent clear game plan is huge for us because it allows the boys to develop and get better at it over time. We do a defensive press, which took them a while to learn because it's such a whole new system for them but within a couple of months, they were nailing it, so they've done well.
How have you found your first season as a senior coach?
I has played out better than I imagined. It just brings me so much satisfaction. Because as a player you're in a team, but you're very individual still. Whereas as a coach, your satisfaction comes from helping players improve. I watch them men train and play and I’m proud of every one of them. I've just found that so fulfilling.
Anything needing a tune up before finals?
Our starts aren’t great. We are slow in finding our rhythm and getting into the contest and I want to make sure we get that right. It could be our pre pre-game drills that we do or sometimes I believe it is because we have so much young energy, that we get overhyped and it takes us a quarter or so to get into it. So we have to address this because in big games like finals, we might not find our way back into the game if we have a slow start.
And just banging home more of the basics which we bring well, which is contested footy, relentless pressure and our ball use offensively.
Is there a secret weapon?
I've got a few but Nick Francis and Miles Enders are the standouts. Both Melbourne boys and they're just the best people as well. They do a great job of connecting the boys from the University to the external boys.
Nick's standard of footy last year was ok, but his game this year has gone through the roof, and Miles on the flip side, he's come in from his first game and just made impact. He's just got so many attributes to make an AFL player, and it wouldn't surprise me in the future if he could go that far.