One decade on from first pulling on the butchers stripes in the StoreLocal Hospital Cup, Michael Bond has returned to Crosby Road in a bid to help the storied club into finals once again.
Bond first played for Brothers back in 2013 – a lone season that was sandwiched in between spells with French side Biarritz and Japanese League One outfit Cannon.
At Cannon, he earned 46 caps between 2014 and 2022, scoring 14 tries, however his time with the Eagles was curtailed after suffering a ruptured Achilles last year.
Bond relocated back home to Brisbane where he was adamant of having a year off to heal his injury, until Brothers coach Brendan Gabbett reached out in January, hoping to pry Bond back for the first time in nearly 10 years.
“I was going to take a year off and let my Achilles heal properly but Gabbsy gave me a call and asked if I wanted to have a go,” Bond told QPR Media.
“[Brothers] were on the lookout for a number 13 and so I just came down. I was an easy decision to make; Brothers is a great club.
“The club has changed a lot since I came back – it’s got a very family-orientated feel about it and I’m really enjoying being back here.
“It’s been really good. All of the boys are pretty young so I kind of feel like a father to them,” Bond said.
Since returning, Bond has played a crucial cog in the Brothers’ Premier Grade side this season, lining up in either the number 12 or 13 jersey. At centre, Bond ranks fourth at the club for total carries, equal second for line breaks and a clear number one in defenders beaten with 26.
The club currently sit sixth on the Hospital Cup standings and will face stiff competition to make the top four given the competitive nature of the 2023 season. As many as seven teams could theoretically still make the cut with Bond University, Easts and Wests leading in front of a four-strong peloton of Souths, GPS, Brothers and UQ.
After winning their first four games of the season, Brothers have stumbled in recent weeks including a tough loss to Bond University on the Coast, seven tries to three. Back at Crosby Road in Round 13 this Saturday, Michael Bond is expecting Brothers to return to their collective best as they host Norths and boost their hopes at a finals spot.
“We really need to show the competition that we’re here and we want to play in the finals so this is just a stepping stone to get there,” Bond said.
Norths, despite their position on the ladder, startled Easts in Round 12. The two sides traded blows throughout much of the first half with the Eagles leading after 55 minutes before the Tigers eventually ran away with the game.
To curtail the Eagles at home, Bond pointed toward a strong defensive performance as they key for a potential Brothers’ victory.
“We’re expecting them to come out firing in the first half so we will need to weather that storm. As a group, we’ve been working really hard with our fitness so later on in games we can get them,” he said.
“We just have to keep on going. Defence is going to be key for this competition to win it. So we just have to aim up defensively and just smash them.”
Brothers will host Norths this Saturday, June 24 at Brothers Rugby Club, Crosby Road.
Kick-off for the StoreLocal Hospital Cup matchup will be 3:05pm.
Tune into the game live on Stan Sport
