Oops, something went wrong.
It’ll be a spicy reintroduction to Hart Premier Netball for the Bull Sharks Sapphire team this weekend - a grand final rematch against the Brisbane North Cougars.
The team they pipped by a whisker after the mother of all comebacks will be desperate to get one back on a Bull Sharks team starting its 2026 campaign without some big names.
Bond's 2025 premiership success has definitely had a flipside.
The best part of half of the Bull Sharks Sapphire squad has been called up to represent either the Queensland Firebirds or Sunshine Coast Lightning Reserves in Suncorp Super Netball Reserves competition.
While recognition has been warranted, it's meant time together has been rare in the 2026 season lead up.
Still, when they have managed to be in the same place at the same time, pre-season trial form has been encouraging.
Bond Bull Sharks Head Coach Bec Stower gives us the low down.
Comings and goings
It’s been a really interesting off-season for us and some of it is definitely bittersweet.
A couple of our 2025 premiership players have moved on.
Of course, Mia [Stower] has retired. She was enormous for us in her time here, bringing with her elite level Queensland Firebirds experience. She raised the bar for many of our players, and the window into what top level netball looked like was an invaluable resource for our squad. Her general court craft, creativity and strength in the circle will be missed.
‘Loz” Aubrey has moved north for work reasons. She’s still playing – she’s lining up for the Capricorn Claws in Rockhampton. We loved Loz. A humble quiet achiever who developed so much while with us at Bond.
Georgia Bodle, one of our senior leaders last year, has moved on to grow her mindset and performance practice up on the Sunshine Coast, but we’re grateful that she’ll still be available as a replacement player. We're already calling upon her services!
But departures bring opportunities to refresh and replenish.
Brook Lacey joins the squad. She’s a brilliantly athletic defensive option with elite pathways experience, and plenty of exposure to the top talent pool through her various elite indigenous squad selections. We are extremely excited to see what she can do.
Amy Williams has also signed on. She’s a powerful 190 cm plus shooter with plenty of Netball Queensland pathways exposure, and she comes to us from a very strong Ipswich Jets franchise. She’s a great inclusion.
Joesi Gisinger is making the step up from Ruby level netball. She hasn’t put a foot wrong in her rehab since rupturing her ACL last season. She’s fit and hungry and ready to take it up a notch.
And Harriet Nicholson, Ruby Player of the Year last season, will also make the step up to Sapphire level.
Leadership
This will be a key part of our campaign, particularly during the early part of the season when we are still finding our combinations.
Sophie Westover will captain the side again. She put a lot of time and effort into her leadership development last year, and it showed. She is such a calm, receptive presence for us.
And Maddie Ryan continues in a leadership role. Maddie was crucial for us as vice-captain position last year, and she will be again this season. She plays with infectious enthusiasm, she’s one of the most experienced players in the league nowadays, and she cares deeply and genuinely about her teammates.
Power up front
Kaylin van Greunen and Kirra Tippenden, both students at Bond, form an incredibly potent GS/GA combination. Both have proven themselves at this level already but they each have so much more to offer as they mature into the athletes we know they can be.
They’ve both shared the SSN Reserves experience so although we haven’t had them at training with us all that often in preseason, at least they’ve been able to keep their connections alive and kicking.
They’ll be joined by Amy Williams this year. at 191cms Amy is a formidable opponent for any defender.
The three of them rotating through the circle is pretty exciting in prospect.
Staunch in defence
Tehya Hyssett is looking really strong and her exposure to Sapphire netball last year should give her added confidence going into a fresh season. Harriet Nicholson is a spectacular competitor with an uncanny ball-winning ability. She’s excelled at Ruby level for a long time now, and we think she brings a real point of difference. Brook Lacey adds athleticism and speed and with Maddie Ryan capable of shifting between defensive midcourt and – depending on the opponent – key defensive posts, we think we have a really well balanced, versatile defensive set up.
Options in the middle
Sophie Westover, Sasha-May Flegler, Joesi Gisinger and Jayden Molo form a very capable mid-court rotation. There’s plenty of experience and physical strength, and each of them brings something unique to our set up. Each player has plenty of strategic nous, too. We’re looking forward to seeing what they can do as a group.
The upshot
Not going to lie - the early part of the season presents a big challenge.
We haven't trained together much, and to a certain degree we have to expect the odd speedhump. This is a brutally tough competition physically and mentally. There’s no doubt the ‘body-on’ body physical elements of the game are becoming more pronounced. Sapphire-level athletes are now extremely physically imposing as well as quick and agile.
That said, we have a confident, well-connected squad who believe in each other and who have proven that they are capable of smart team defence and fast, flowing, attacking netball.
We know they are extremely proud of their performance, so we’re excited to see them embrace the first-up challenges and then work their way through.
This Sunday
What a way to kick start a campaign. A grand final replay. Especially when we’ve barely gotten over the last one!
We’ll be without Kaylin van Greunen, Kirra Tappenden, Jayden Molo and Sasha-May Flegler. They’ve been swallowed up by the Firebirds Reserves.
Thankfully, Sophie will be released from Lightning Reserves duties to play with us.
The Cougars are a team of serious and tenacious competitors and they will be absolutely itching to get one back on us – to make an early statement. It’ll be fascinating to see how it plays out.
Like us, the Cougars have experienced disruption because of the Super Netball Reserves competition, so in a sense it’ll be ‘untried vs untested’.
In games like these, the physical contest can get pretty willing. It will be on us to keep our calm, focus on the ball and not the body, and stick to our guns.
Discipline with ball in hand and in defence will go a long way to determining the outcome.