Bond University has emerged as one of Australia’s leading AFLW nurseries

Five years ago, Bond University fielded their first-ever senior women’s Aussie rules side in the now-defunct QWAFA women’s league where half of their players couldn’t even kick a football. REMARKABLE RISE.

FIVE years ago, Bond University fielded their first-ever senior women’s Aussie rules side in the now-defunct QWAFA women’s league where half of their players couldn’t even kick a football.

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Five years later, the Bull Sharks are one of Australia’s leading AFLW breeding grounds.

In last week’s AFLW draft, four of the Gold Coast Suns eight draftees, Lucy Single, Maddison Levi, Wallis Randell and Annise Bradfield, plied their trade for Bond University’s QAFLW side this year.

AFLW Gold Coast draftees Wallis Randell, 19, Annise Bradfield, 17, Lucy Single, 18 and Maddison Levi, 18. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Bond’s grand tally of four draftees makes them Australia’s second most prolific AFLW nursery, bettered only by the Sandringham Dragons who had six players drafted.

Bond AFL general manager Michael Swann said that producing a wealth of AFLW was merely proof their program was working rather than an outright goal.

“Our focus is on developing all of our players, not just that top tier so it (players being drafted) takes care of itself,” Swann said.

“We want to build a strong program that allows our elite girls to progress their careers and also enable community players to improve their craft.

“We’ve had rapid growth and it comes down to the hard work of people like David Ashkar, Shane Atkins, Luke Mansbridge and Emma Williams who have all helped our program and our girls grow.”

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Out of the 2020 Bond draft crop, Bradfield is a traditional footballer having played since she was a teenager, Single and Levi are both rugby converts while Randell excelled at basketball in Mackay before deciding to pack up her life and move south.

Start of the AFL Premiership Cup tour of QLD. AFLW Gold Coast draftees Wallis Randell, 19, Annise Bradfield, 17, Lucy Single, 18 and Maddison Levi, 18. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Swann said Bond’s emerging stars, including the likes of Mackay prospect Lily Tarlinton, soccer convert Lucinda Pullar and captain Shannon Dankert could follow in their footsteps.

“We’re just as excited by some of the other girls coming through who come from similar backgrounds but can take the next step in the next 12 months,” he said.

And even despite laying claim to 11 AFLW listed players, Swann said there was always scope to improve Bond’s program.

“If we focus on bringing in good people who are playing football for the right reasons and centre a strong program with great facilities and coaches around that, we’ll naturally go up a notch,” he said.