For Charlie Wake and Max Angove, rugby has always been in their blood – from the fields of France and the bustling pitches of Hong Kong to the school grounds of Melbourne.
Now, like true Bull Sharks, they’ve again migrated to new waters – this time to Bond University where they will sink their teeth into Queensland Premier Rugby.
The 18-year-olds will don the blue and gold in Colts 1 this weekend as the Bull Sharks kick off the StoreLocal Hospital Cup season against Wests on Saturday afternoon.
The boys’ families found their way to the AFL heartland of Melbourne around the time their sons were starting high school, but it was too late – rugby was their game.
Charlie Wake, a Bachelor of Law and Commerce student, hails from Melbourne Grammar and chose the Gold Coast because of its warmer weather.
“Obviously the Bond rugby program is well recognised and I wanted to get away from the bad weather in Melbourne,” Wake said.
Fellow Melbournian Max Angove, who attended Trinity Grammar School, also decided to make the trip up Highway 1 to get a taste of Bull Sharks Rugby and study a Bachelor of Commerce.
“I chose the Bond program because I wanted to face the best competition in the country,” Angove said.
It’s a definite switch-up from Victorian schoolboy rugby, with Max also playing in the now disbanded Melbourne Rebels development program.
“I think the program up here is awesome. We had a meeting and set out our values, and I’m really looking forward to what's to come,” Wake said. “The group of boys we have is really exciting.
“Rico’s sessions are really structured; there's no messing around. It's a bit of a change from rugby in Melbourne.
“I’d say about the culture is probably something I’ve never seen before.
“In Melbourne you don't really get the little things like having a beer with the senior boys after the game or even just the senior boys knowing your name or what position you play... it’s something that has really stood out to me
“You don’t get away with going 50 percent; the boys encourage you to go 100 percent and that bounces off you.”
The boys made a great first impression on Colts 1 coach Rico Gear in last weekend’s practice match against Sunnybank.
“Charlie is a tough, hard-working forward; every team needs a player like him, and Max brings size and skill to the match so will be a handful in the midfield,” Gear said.
The pair hope to follow in the footsteps of Bull Sharks Fergus Gillian and Charlie McCauley with the goal of making the Reds U19 squad.
“Reds U19s is a goal of mine. Growing up through the Melbourne Rebels system we looked up to the Queensland Reds because they always pushed us around the park,” Angove said.