Bond University Football Club

Bond University AFL, nicknamed as the Bull Sharks, is a Gold Coast based Australian rules football club operating out of Bond University. The club currently competes in the Queensland Football Association Division Two and the Queensland Women's Football League competitions.[1]

Bond University
Names
Full nameBond University AFL
Club details
Founded2011; 13 years ago (2011)
Colours  Blue and   Gold
CompetitionQFA Division 2 (Men)
QAFLW (Women)
Ground(s)Bond University (capacity: 500)
Uniforms
Home

The club is currently one of two universities that supply teams to AFL Queensland, the other being University of Queensland.

History

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Players celebrate after winning the 2015 QAFA (A) Grand Final

The Bond University Football Club was formed in 2011 and entered the AFLQ Division 3 Central league for their inaugural season. Bond would play home games at the Robina Roos' ground on Scottsdale Drive due to unsuitable facilities existing at the university. Nicknamed the Bull Sharks, the club surprised many by compiling a 14–1 record through the home and away season to claim the minor premiership. Bond would suffer a 31-point loss to Jimboomba in the 2011 Grand Final. The club was then transferred to the newly created SEQAFL Division 4 South league which was a combination of former Summerland Australian Football League teams mixed with Gold Coast clubs.

Bond would again reach the Grand Final in 2012 but lightning would strike twice as the Bull Sharks fell to Tweed Coast by 44 points. After a disappointing 2013 season in which the club was eliminated in the first round of the finals, the Bull Sharks moved their home games to the newly created Australian rules football field at the university campus.[2] Affectionately known as the "Canal", the new grounds would prove a successful move for Bond as the club claimed a second minor premiership in 2014. The club went on to win the 2014 QAFA (B) South premiership, defeating Tweed Coast to claim the first premiership in the club's short history.[3]

As a result of their 2014 successes, the Bullsharks were promoted to the QAFA (A) division and impressively claimed another minor premiership in 2015, going undefeated in the home and away season. The club went on to win the 2015 QAFA (A) Grand Final against the South East Suns and in doing so made it back-to-back premierships in separate divisions. This success saw them promoted again to the QFA South competition for season 2016.[4] 2015 also saw the launch of the women's team competing in the QWAFA competition. They compiled a 9–6 record in their inaugural season and made it to the preliminary final where they were defeated by the eventual premiers Zillmere.

In September 2017, the Bond University women's team defeated Yeronga 50–29 in the Grand Final to claim the QWFA Division 1 premiership. 2017 also saw Molly Ritson and Krystal Scott drafted to the Brisbane Lions Women's team as rookies in the 2017 AFLW Draft as well as the team promoted to the QWAFL. The Men however, would suffer a rough season after sustaining mass injuries. Leading to only one win for the Seniors and subsequent relegation to QFA Division 2 for 2018.

Premierships (6)

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No. Year Competition Opponent Score Venue
1 2014 QAFA (B) South Tweed Coast Tigers 15.8 (98) – 7.16 (58) Scottsdale Drive Oval
2 2015 QAFA (A) South East Suns 12.21 (93) – 9.8 (62) Tidbold Park
3 2017 QWFA Division 1 Yeronga South Brisbane 8.2 (50) – 4.5 (29) Leyshon Park
4 2019 QAFLW Development Coorparoo 3.8 (26) – 3.3 (21) Leyshon Park
5 2019 QFA Division 2 Beenleigh 13.12 (90) – 7.10 (52) Leyshon Park
6 2023 QAFLW Aspley 10.6 (66) - 2.5 (17) Brighton Homes Arena
7 2023 QFA Division 2 South Reserves Coolangatta 7.5 (47) - 5.10 (40) Fankhauser Reserve

Drafted players in the AFLW

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Year Name Team Draft No.
2017 Molly Ritson Brisbane 14th (rookie)
2017 Krystal Scott Brisbane 18th (rookie)
2018 Lauren Bella Brisbane 45th
2019 Charlotte Hammans Gold Coast Pre-list signing
2019 Kalinda Howarth Gold Coast Pre-list signing
2019 Taylor Smith Gold Coast Pre-list signing
2019 Molly Ritson Gold Coast Pre-list signing
2019 Serene Watson Gold Coast 18th
2020 Annise Bradfield Gold Coast 7th
2020 Maddison Levi Gold Coast 50th
2020 Lucy Single Gold Coast 57th
2020 Wallis Randell Gold Coast 61st
2021 Teagan Levi Gold Coast 6th
2021 Giselle Davies Gold Coast 30th
2021 Mikayla Pauga Brisbane 46th
2021 Lulu Pullar Brisbane 58th
2021 Shannon Danckert Gold Coast Injury replacement
2022 Ruby Sargent-Wilson Sydney Pre-list signing
2022 Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap Port Adelaide Pre-list signing
2022 Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap Port Adelaide Pre-list signing
2022 Krystal Scott Gold Coast Pre-list signing
2022 Jasmyn Smith Gold Coast 52nd
2022 Imogen Evans Collingwood Free agent signing
2023 sup. Meara Girvan Gold Coast 10th
2023 Lily Tarlinton Adelaide 34th
2023 Kiara Bischer Gold Coast 50th
2023 Sienna McMullen Gold Coast 51st
2023 Imogen Evans Collingwood Injury replacement

References

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  1. ^ "Still happy with move north". Northern Star. 21 August 2012. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  2. ^ "Bond University Bullsharks". Australian University Sport. 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Bond University Claims Premership". Fox Sports Pulse. 29 September 2014. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Bond Uni promoted to the QFA South – AFL Queensland". AFL Queensland. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
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