With four games remaining in the QFA regular season and only two games in the QAFLW, round 15 marks a pivotal point in the Bull Sharks’ 2023 campaign.
Both Bull Sharks reserves teams are in third on their respective ladders, the senior women are in second, and the senior men are the ladder leaders.
This weekend the Bull Sharks men take on the Tweed Coast Tigers at The Canal while the women’s side travels to Brisbane to take on the Yeronga Devils.
Here’s what you need to know.
Last time they met
The senior men last faced Tweed in round 2 where the Bull Sharks won convincingly 106-17.
The senior women’s last encounter with Yeronga was in round 6 where the Bull Sharks dominated the game to win 79-11.
Focus points
After a challenging game last week, the senior women are focusing on improving their contest and pressure.
Coach Andy Lovell emphasised their need for more cohesion in their forward line.
“In previous weeks we’ve been averaging 14 marks inside our 50 and last week we only had one,” said Lovell.
“Getting into open space and ensuring better entries inside 50 is going to be vital for us this week.”
Who’s in, who’s out
It was obvious in their round 14 match-up that the senior men have some gaps to fill following the loss of two of their strongest assets.
Key forward Jack Tilley recently underwent surgery on a broken jaw sustained in round 13, while crucial backliner Will King is still recovering following his shoulder dislocation in round 12.
In what has been the story of their season, the senior women have dealt with the recurring absence of state representative players.
While they lost 10 key players for the match last week, they will now welcome back a full team of Bull Sharks with an overflowing list of talent available for selection.
In round 16 they will again lose some of these players before they finally return for good to play out finals.
Match day information
Saturday, July 22
Bond University main oval
12:00pm men’s reserves
2:00pm men’s seniors
Leyshon Park, Brisbane
3:00pm women’s reserves
4:45pm women’s seniors
Teams
Men’s seniors
FB: Wyatt Bacon, Grant Trew, Nathan Thomas
HB: Liam Viney, Hunter Booth, Kurt Cole
C: Blake Spencer, Oliver Burrows – Cheng, Sam Bowen
HF: Matt Smith, Ryan Cook, Tom Ferguson
FP: Flynn Ayton, Morgan Ferres, Hamish Furphy
Ruck: Axel Moore, Jaiden Pengelly, Nathan Rataj
I/C: Ryan Deinjes, Ethan Shovelton, Ned Spiden, Kane Peeters
Men's reserves
FB: Jye Douthat, Thomas Sanders, Josh Clark
HB: Curtis Glover, Reece Amos, Jackson Eyres
C: Rory O’Callaghan, Taj Cadle, Madison Bland
HF: Kegan Morton, Harrison Black, Mitch Mills
FF: Alister Sarah, Isaiah Douglas, Pigeon
Ruck: Liam Tootell, Trent McDaid, Dean Hepburn
I/C: Jack Dalton, Gabe Stower, Jason Devsam, Oscar Jones
Women's seniors
FB: Jemma Blair, Kiara Bischa, Mia Salisbury
HB: Paris Lightfoot, Grace Moody, Georgia Hutton
C: Sienna McMullen, Courtney Sexton, Charlotte Taylor
HF: Tara Harrington, Leah Kasler, Nyalli Milne
FF: Isabella Iverach, Lily Tarlington
Ruck: Jasmine Davidson, Ava Usher, CJ Landwehr
I/C: Josie McCabe, Georgia Johnson, Sally Evans, Ella Calleja, Gabrielle Deller
Women's reserves
FB: Sophie Balcombe, Mackenzie Farmer
HB: Piper Phelan, Lexi Samuels, Andria Heard
C: Jasmine Single, Sunny Hewett, Madi Furlong
HF: Tshinta Kendall, Skye White, Allera Usher
FP: Isabella Lowe, Paige Price
RUCK: Paige Dunstan, Jesse Nguyen, Shannon Nolan
I/C: Boston Jackson, Tobi Chapman, Georgia Wakefield, Ashleigh Russell
* Teams subject to change