by Holly Slattery
Excitement on and off the field headlined Past Players’ Day as old teammates reunited and the Bull Sharks secured four major victories at The Canal.
The men kicked off the annual celebration with a 43-point win against the Coomera Magpies who pitched another strong challenge to the senior QFA team.
The Magpies swooped in early to claim the first goal of the game but were overcome by the Bull Sharks who managed two major kicks before the first break.
Battling their way through the visitors’ strong midfield, Bond made critical ground in the second quarter to open the margin by 24 points leading into the final half.
Determination to bring home their eighth victory of the season saw the Bull Sharks forge ahead in the fourth quarter to ultimately come away with a 12.6 (78) to 4.11 (35) result.
“Coomera’s a pretty tough outfit and we haven’t had that challenge in a while, so it was good to get some strong opposition and still get a win on the board,” Bond backliner Nathan Thomas said.
“They were pretty handy in the midfield but once they got the ball forward we cleaned up the mess and kicked it out.
“Our run and our forward line was pretty excellent too.”
The women’s side put on an equally spectacular show for the home crowd, defeating the Yeronga Devils 7.6 (48) to 3.10 (28).
A strong second half showcased Bond’s grit as they quadrupled their margin from the major break.
The women’s victory was a timely throwback for the inaugural QWFA premiers who beat the Brisbane side to bring home the flag five years ago.
Jenna Fulton and Ally Evans enjoyed reminiscing about their premiership days as they sat boundary-side to cheer on this year’s Bull Sharks.
“We had the best time playing here,” Evans said.
“Back then it was a lot more relaxed and there wasn’t as much pressure but we just loved being together as a team and having fun.”
For the teammates-turned-housemates, a return to The Canal was a special time to reunite with their fellow premiers and other past players.
“Just seeing some old faces and connecting with them again has been really nice,” Fulton said.
“Everyone’s doing their own thing now but it’s good to have some of us back together.
“It’s pretty exciting being around it again and it brings back some funny memories.”