COACHING PERFECTION
BOND MENTOR’S EPIC RETURN:
GRANT Anderson’s return to the Bond University head coach role could not have gone much better as the Bull Sharks put themselves back in touch with the Queensland Premier Rugby top four.
Anderson’s promotion following Brad Harris’s move to a full-time position with Fiji Rugby during the week had the potential to have a destabilising effect. It proved the opposite as Bond smoked Norths 45-10 at Robina on Saturday. It marks just their second win of the season but, thanks to bonus points from a series of close losses, puts them within four points of fourth-placed Souths.
“The boys played really well,” Anderson said.
“They have been working really hard and they deserved to play some good footy and get a win like that.
“It’s a really close competition. We just need to perform next week against Sunnybank and if a few results go our way we go into the next round in fourth spot, which would be a great morale booster for the team and the club.”
The Bull Sharks backline was particularly effective in the seven-try demolition job.
Outside centre Dan Boardman broke the game open with a try on the stroke of halftime and was nominated by Norths as Bond’s best.
Ryan Menzies was “immense” at inside centre, while Fijian flyer Gus Qasevakatini scored his first try since returning to the club.
Justin Bernstein, who stepped in at flyhalf after the late withdrawal of Dion Taumata, was another to impress.
“I called Justin on Friday night and he responded really well,” Anderson said.
“He is such a popular player within the group and the club and the boys really got behind him. He controlled our game really well. I thought he was really good.”
Anderson said pre-game he felt the team was one win away from breaking the shackles and hopes that will now come to fruition.
“I think that the basis of good culture is a winning mentality and that certainly helps getting a win like that, so moving forward they have got a lot of belief in themselves now so hopefully they can start to string some wins together,” he said.