It was quite the day out for the Bond's QAFLW squad on the Sunshine Coast last Saturday.
Dominant from the get-go, the Bull Sharks hammered on 14.11 (95) to Maroochydore’s two lonely behinds.
Front and centre was one of the Bull Sharks newest recruits, Annabel Lynch.
The former Sydneysider laid ten tackles and kicked four goals in a dominant performance - one that earned her a QAFLW Rising Star nomination.
After years of junior football with the mighty Manly Wolves in Sydney, Lynch last year made the bold move interstate to study.
It was inspired in part by Bond rugby star and alumnus, Georgia Grey, sister of Lynch’s good friend, Abigail.
“I was juggling Sydney Swans Academy footy with water polo for a bit at school, and for a while water polo took over, but I’d returned to footy in Year 12 when I started to catch a glimpse of the kind of experience Georgia was having at Bond.
“I’d always wanted to shift away from home for uni, and for someone who loves sport Bond looked kind of ideal, especially for someone who’d grown up in a place like Manly.”
Lynch enrolled in a Bachelor of Sport Management degree, packed her bags, and headed north.
It proved one of the best decisions of her young life.
“I absolutely love it,” she says. “The whole experience has been brilliant.”
“I love my teammates, and I’ve made some great friendships with other people who’ve moved away from home to be here.”
“The facilities are incredible with the gym and the pool and everything, and the coaching is excellent. It’s all been really structured. [Head of Football] Andy Lovell has been great to learn from, and he’s got such a good team of coaches around him.
She points out former St Kilda and Carlton player, Craig Devenport, who’s been doing some skills training with players in the Bond program.
“We’ve been heading down to the oval on campus to do some extra kicking practice with Craig.
“To have someone so experienced available as part of the set up here is amazing.”
A self-confessed sports nut, Lynch says a Bachelor of Sport Management was her deal academic match.
“I love sport, sportspeople, and the business of sport, and I can definitely see myself working for a professional sporting organisation down the track.”
It's a footy feast at The Canal this Saturday with all four Bond teams playing at The Canal.
The Men's Reserves get things underway against Robina at midday with the Senior Men following at 2pm against Tweed.
The Senior women and Reserves follow at 2pm and 4pm respectively in a battle for tertiary bragging rights against University of Queensland.