When Bond University run onto Ballymore this afternoon to face Easts in the Hospital Cup preliminary final, they’ll do so with the support of the entire Gold Coast Rugby.
The Bull Sharks’ maiden finals appearance is the culmination of decades of hard work from a group of dedicated volunteers, players and coaches who have given their time and effort to make the club what it is today.
Bond took over as the Gold Coast’s Premier Rugby team in 2014 after the disbandment of the Gold Coast Breakers and in the years since, the club has propelled itself forward to become one of the state’s foremost Rugby programs across all aspects of the game.
The club has established a pathway to Premier Grade, funnelling the region’s finest schoolboy talent into club Rugby, developed a Women’s program at both junior and senior levels, grown the Sevens game, worked with locals schools to get kids playing Rugby, supported the Gold Coast district competition, partnered with the Queensland Reds and assisted the Gold Coast’s best young talent by establishing the John Eales scholarship.
Bond University Executive Director of Sport Gary Nucifora said the club places emphasis on the community level of the game and aim to grow the sport in the region.
“The club is interested with contributing to the greater good of the game, that is our mantra,” Nucifora said.
“We’re really pleased with where the guys have got to, it was important with the trajectory of the club, we can’t be building forever, we want all teams to be playing finals, that is an ongoing goal.
“Behind the scenes an enormous amount of effort has gone into developing the game on the Gold Coast.
“We have punched so far above our weight to develop the game and all the people behind the scenes have done an enormous amount of work and we’re now seeing success from that, it’s not just because we have reached finals, but the ongoing growth of the club.”
One man who has seen the rise of the club firsthand is current Premier Grade head coach Grant Anderson.
Anderson was a foundation player for the Breakers in 1997 and became the first player to reach the 100-cap milestone in the club’s history during his six-year playing stint.
“I’m enormously proud of where Premier Rugby on the Coast has come from, even from the transition from Breakers to Bond,” Anderson said.
“It is essential to offer pathway opportunities to the Coast, we’re now seeing guys play Premier Rugby, through to the NRC and higher honours.
“The success we’re experiencing is the result of work that has been put in since the Breakers were last in the final, we had to get the organisation right off the field, Bond coming in and taking over the team was the first step and then over the last five years, we have been trying to get our recruitment and retention right for players and coaches.
“We had to get that right to deliver on field and then over the last 12 months we have worked hard on the culture, it feels like an eternity but we’re starting to see the benefits of it now.”
It’s that strong club culture which has seen Bond reach new heights in 2020, with the tight-knit Premier Grade side reaching the finals for the first time in the club’s history.
The Bull Sharks also fielded teams in the Premier Women’s and Third Grade competitions, with the women’s side and Colts 1 also qualifying for the finals in what was an impressive maiden season.
This success has been bred from the club’s tight-knit community, and Anderson says it’s the players who set the standards at the Canal.
“What has really helped with culture has been that it’s player lead,” the head coach said.
“The players have set their own behaviour standards and they drive that on-and-off the field and we have the buy-in from the players.
“Now we have Third grade and Women’s, that has helped, and we have a great group of senior players and staff to hold guys and girls accountable.”
Today’s clash with the Tigers gives Anderson, Nucifora and the rest of the Bond community the chance to reflect and thank those who have contributed to their club and Gold Coast Rugby.
“It means so much, the guys behind the scenes put in so much hard work, so many hours as volunteers,” Anderson said.
“It’s hard to explain, all the hard work we’ve done we are starting to experience success now.
“The legacy that this team represents from the Breakers days and now to Bond is amazing.”
With a Grand Final spot on the line, it’s all to play for this afternoon, but the Gold Coasters have reason to be satisfied no matter of the result today.
“We’re really proud of the season, irrespective of the score,” Nucifora said.
