by Grace Knight
The Bull Sharks senior men and women could take second spots on their respective ladders if the cards fall their way in round 9 of the QFA and QAFLW competitions this weekend.
The women face the University of Queensland in Brisbane while the men are up against Carrara at home.
Last time they met
This round marks the first meeting between the senior women and UQ in 2023.
Although the Bull Sharks sit in third place on the ladder and UQ in seventh, Bond haven’t been able to beat UQ since 2021.
Their most recent match-up was in round 1 of the 2022 finals when UQ won 48-9, meaning the Bull Sharks are hungrier than ever to bring them down.
The senior men last faced Carrara in round 3 when they lost 78-49 on the Saints’ home turf.
If we win
In the women’s draw, if Bond manages to defeat UQ and the current second position holders Aspley falter in their match, Bond could jump into second place by virtue of their higher percentage.
For the men, a win would guarantee second spot.
Focus points
The senior women are working hard on their scoring ability.
Although they dominated ground position in their previous outing against Maroochydore, they struggled to convert opportunities into goals.
Training has concentrated on improving their inside 50 ball-use and method, aiming for better quality entries to provide their forwards with more space to work their magic.
Coming off an excellent win against Ballina last weekend, the senior men are in fine form as they prepare for their big clash.
Further fuelling their confidence is the home ground advantage. The Canal is much larger than Carrara’s ground which suits Bond’s hard-running, expansive style of play.
The midfield battle has been a focus for the Bull Sharks as they aim for dominance and improvement of their ball movement.
What they said
Director of AFL and senior women’s coach Andy Lovell said the match would serve as a litmus test for upcoming fixtures.
“We’ve got Wilston Grange the week after and then Southport, so we’re really looking forward to testing ourselves against UQ, that’s for sure.”
Senior men’s captain Wyatt Bacon said there was an air of confidence about the team.
“I think everyone’s feeling pretty good,” he said.
“We’ve been training the way that we want to play and trying to get better every week.
“Just given the fact that we’ve improved so much since last time around, we’re feeling well prepared to take them on.”
Match day information
The Canal, Bond University Main Oval
12:00pm Reserves men
2:00pm Senior men
UQ Playing Field 2
4:45pm Senior women
6:45pm Reserves women