The Bull Sharks are already making waves on the Queensland Netball stage with six newly signed players named in the final Queensland U17 and U19 training squads ahead of next year’s National Championships.
Electrifying midcourter Dakota Newson, who recently joined Bond from cross-town rival Gold Coast Titans, snagged a spot in the Under 19s.
She’ll be joined by Bond’s Netball Australia U17 Development Squad sharp-shooter Kaylin van Greunan whose star continues to rise.
And in a stirring example of reward for effort former Titans training partner, Abby Boland, celebrates her arrival to the Bull Sharks by earning a spot in the final 16. Boland willed her way into the minds of state selectors after an outstanding U18 State Titles at Goal Shooter.
Goal Attack Elka Macaulay joins the Queensland U17 squad for a second consecutive year. So too impressive circle defender Tehya Hyssett who has overcome a nasty ankle injury to reclaim a spot. Joesi Gisinger will join Hyssett in the defensive group for her first crack at a Queensland representative place.
“This is a huge achievement for all the girls,” said Bond’s Head of Netball Kim Boland. “It’s such a highly competitive and talent-rich sport. To still be visible to selectors at this stage of the process is extremely special. Same should be said for the girls who didn’t quite scrape into the final 16. They’ve now earned some exposure to the elite pathway. They’ve been noticed. They’re on the radar.”
Understandably, Boland was particularly proud of her daughter, Abby.
“I’m obviously thrilled for all the girls who have made it through, but I can’t help but be an incredibly proud mum,” Boland said. “Abby watched an entire Ruby season at the Titans from the bench earlier this year. It’s not easy when you’re consistently waiting for a chance. But she kept chipping away and learning and training hard. To go the State Titles and perform as well as she did showed such tremendous character. I’m so delighted for her.”
The two squads will now compete for final team selection during squad sessions early in the new year.
“They might have to go easy on the Christmas ham this year,” Boland said. “It’s going to be a pretty gruelling January.”
Final teams and training partners will be named ahead of National Championships to be held in Darwin next April.
In other Bond Netball news, four players have been added to the Bull Sharks roster. Ex-Melbournian Courtney Bailey will join Gold Coasters Montana Dare (Hinterland District Netball Association), Britt Donnelly (South Coast Netball Association) and Jorja Gisinger (Southport Carrara Netball Association as training partners.
Further, Amelia Bailey (Bond Bull Sharks U16s), Jayla Balym (Gold Coast Titans U16s), Sienna Hyssett (Bond Bull Sharks U16s), Maia Masoe (Bond Bull Sharks U16s), Mia Monteret (Bond Bull Sharks U16s), Ella Norton (Highfields and District Netball Association), Evie Stower (Highfields and District Netball Association) and Fa’agase Tupuola-Palale (Bond Bull Sharks U16s) will form the Bull Sharks inaugural Development Pathways Squad.
In the meantime, Bond Bull Sharks netballers continue pre-season training under the watchful eye of strength and conditioning guru Glenn Corcoran at the Bond High Performance Centre.