by Grace Knight
The Bull Sharks had all guns blazing in Round 1 of the QAFLW and QFA Div 2 South seasons.
It was an action-packed day at The Canal that ended with success across the board, with the senior men defeating the Robina Roos 59-36 and the senior women dominating Maroochydore 104-6.
TALKING POINTS
After Maroochydore’s early goal in the first quarter, the senior women’s team answered back with high intensity which kept the opposition at bay for the remainder of the game.
The senior men’s team also got off to a flying start with key forward Jack Tilley kicking three consecutive goals in the first nine minutes while the Bull Sharks’ defence stopped the Roos from scoring any points in the first quarter.
The Bull Sharks lost some momentum in the second half and Robina had the crowd on the edge of their seats as the ball was camped within Bond’s 50m line.
Despite their opportunities, the Roos struggled to convert and the Bull Sharks were able to defend their lead after picking up their pressure in a strong final quarter.
WHO’S HOT
In the senior women, Charlotte Taylor played a great game on the wing, positioning herself in all the right places to contribute to the Bull Sharks’ campaign.
Taking advantage of her height, key forward Havana Harris took some great marks within Bond’s forward 50 and converted those into several goals.
Grace Moody and Paris Lightfoot were also stand-out players in the Bull Sharks’ defence and contributed greatly to stopping any chance that Maroochydore had at their goals.
WHAT IT MEANS
While it is only Round 1, both the men’s and women’s seniors are ranked 1st on the ladder when taking into account their percentage calculations (points for/points against).
WHAT THEY SAID
Marking his first season as Director of AFL as well as the senior women’s coach, Andy Lovell said he couldn’t be prouder of the `Bull Sharks’ efforts.
“We were able to implement everything that we’ve trained for over the summer, our contested ball, our pressure and tackling on them, our defensive shape was outstanding,” Lovell said.
“Our ability to use the ball on angles and set ourselves up to score was really pleasing.
“We were all a bit nervous beforehand because we weren’t sure what the opposition would bring and they still fought really strongly, but I’m just really proud of our girls’ discipline and hunger, so it was a really pleasing effort.”
Senior men’s coach Luke Mansbridge was also happy to see his troops’ performance and kick off the season with a win.
“It’s good to get a win on the board as it was a pretty tough game in the end,” Mansbridge said.
“First half we were awesome. It dropped off a little bit in the second half as fatigue set in but overall I’m really happy with how it went.”
IN OTHER GAMES
The men’s reserves took a convincing win against Robina 83-22 and the women’s reserves also got the upper hand over Maroochydore 73-13.