For most reserve grade footballers, the final siren signals one of two things: the start of post-match celebrations or the chance to drown their sorrows.
But not for Jackson “Jooka” Eyres.
He barely has time to swap his guernsey for a runner’s vest before saddling up to deliver messages for the senior coach.
Ask anyone who’s done it, and they’ll tell you being a runner is right up there with the most thankless jobs in footy. You may have just slogged through 100 minutes of football, but there’s no time to rest. Now you're expected to cover every inch of the ground at the coach’s whim—decoding their animated sideline rants into something a sometimes equally fired-up player can actually take on board.
And if the player in question has just made a howler? He usually knows what’s coming—and will often do his best to avoid you.
Funny how many footballers suddenly go deaf after dropping a mark or turning the ball over.
In short, being a runner demands the endurance of a marathoner, the thick skin of someone in customer service, and the diplomacy of a beauty consultant.
And all of it happens while your teammates enjoy the fifth quarter.
Affectionately known as the Magoos, the Ressies are usually the larrikins perched on the hill, giving running commentary and some passionate umpiring feedback—which tends to get more entertaining as the clock winds down and the beers stack up.
The runner never escapes their constructive criticism either. Especially when he’s one of their own.
Not that Eyres misses out entirely. The Bull Sharks boast a packed social calendar, meticulously curated by the club’s social coordinator - Jackson Eyres.
For Matthew Kennedy—Bond University’s Football Operations Manager and Strength & Conditioning Coach—Eyres is a godsend.
The Bull Sharks call it “paying the rent.”
“Clubs simply don’t function without people like Jooka,” Kennedy says.
“We’re a community footy club. There’s always lots to do, and we rely on volunteers who are willing to chip in. Jackson is always the first to raise his hand—whether it’s packing up gear, cleaning the rooms, or loading the van for away games.”
Originally from Melbourne, Eyres moved to Bond in 2019 to study sports management—and the first thing he did was join the footy club.
“The club means a lot to me. It’s a welcoming, supportive environment for players, staff, and supporters,” he says. “I’ve made lifelong mates here. The culture is second to none, and I’m really lucky to be part of it.”
Bond AFL Club president Sam Whish-Wilson, who coached Eyres in his debut season, has nothing but praise for his impact.
“Jackson’s parents should be incredibly proud,” he says. “Jooka epitomises what the Bull Sharks are about. You don’t have to be a superstar on the field to have a massive impact on a club and its people.
“He’s undoubtedly one of Bond’s best-ever recruits.”
National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. It shines a light on the vital role volunteers play in keeping communities—and clubs like Bond—thriving.