Bond coach Mick Heenan said he’s looking forward to coaching against UQ this weekend, a club he coached for 13 seasons and won six Hospital Cup titles with. 

But more importantly, Heenan wants to help his side back in to the winner’s circle after three tight losses in as many weeks.

“I’m looking forward to it and I’m excited to see a lot of guys that I haven’t seen for a while who I was really close with for a number of years,” the veteran coach told Rugby News. 

“But more so, it’s a really important game for Bond as we try to get our season back on track. That’s where my focus is really is.”

Bond are currently seventh on the Hospital Cup ladder and lost to Souths 25-21 last weekend, a week after losing to Easts by just a point. 

“We’ve had some pretty heartbreaking losses where we’ve been in control of games right at the end and we’ve managed to give up the lead,” Heenan explained. 

“Other times, we’ve been down by a try or so and had attacking opportunities at the end but haven’t been able to find a way through. 

“It’s been frustrating but we’ve got a young group. A lot of guys are in their first year in first grade. I think we had four guys who are still eligible for colts start last week and we’ll have three again this weekend. 

Heenan said frustrating losses weren’t to be unexpected, considering where Bond are in their ‘rebuilding cycle’ and seemed confident his side has more up side than many of their rivals. 

Despite that, the coach knows the Bull Sharks will need to be at their best to challenge an in-form UQ side on the Gold Coast on Saturday. 

“I don’t think we’re letting the losses get to us too much and the boys are still working really hard so I’m confident it will turn at some point,” Heenan said. 

“UQ have been fantastic over the last few weeks. They had a good win against Souths, they had a good win against Sunnybank. They’ve got a lot of really talented, experienced players and they are a well rounded team. 

“We’re going to have to defend well because they’ve got a lot of attacking weaponry to go with a pretty handy forward pack.

“We’ve accumulated a few hard lessons over the last few weeks and we need to take those learnings and put them into practice this weekend.”

With one match remaining in the opening round of the Hospital Cup season, Bond are two wins outside of the top four but Heenan said his side is still targeting finals footy this season. 

“You always want to be in touch with the top four. We’re a developing team but the nature of the comp this year is that it’s been pretty close. 

“Brothers and Wests are going pretty well but everyone else seems to be beating one another. 

“From third spot down to eighth, it’s pretty tight. 

“But we won’t end up in the top four on bonus points alone. We’ve picked up plenty of them, which is great, but we need some winning competition points to get back in the frame.”

In the rounds other matches, GPS host Brothers on Old Boys Day at Yoku Road, Wests host Souths and Easts travel to play Norths.