By LIZ MOORE

With a strong trial game against UQ under the belt and two consecutive home games coming up, Bond captain Dan Boardman said his team is well primed for an exciting 2020 season.

Having gained extra talent including Tyler Campbell and Devon Henson this season, Boardman said the bulk of his team remains the same and the result is a team he’s very confident in.

“Everyone was jumping out of their skins to play, and it was just awesome to be back out there with the guys running around,” Boardman said of their promising trial match performance against UQ in wet conditions.

“The boys have worked extremely hard, so it’s going to see some exciting stuff from the Bond boys and I can’t wait to get the season started.

“We’ve worked really hard to find a structure that works for us. Looking to throw the ball around, but also just put our heads down and carry tough when needed.

“Our whole plan is to be a really fit team that can outplay and outscore other teams.

“We’re looking to play an exciting brand of footy and I think that will hopefully see some wins on the board. I’m not sure if they (other teams) are expecting it, but we’re going to.”

Prior to Bond, Boardman played in the Waratahs Under 20s program, and at Randwick before deciding the “Sydney vibes” weren’t for him and he returned north to play for Bond and Queensland Country NRC.

“My rugby career has been a bit of a rollercoaster,” said the 23-year-old. “It hasn’t kind of worked out the way I thought it would, but I have had a lot of really good life lessons and it’s been a good journey so far.

“I’ve met a lot of really very nice people and I guess mentors you could say. It’s taught me a lot of lessons both on the footy field but also in life as well.”

In his third year playing for Bond, Boardman is philosophical about his first year as captain in 2020.

“I take it with a grain of salt. It’s a really cool experience, and I’m enjoying it.

“I’m learning a lot about myself and how I can help others in the way that I do best,” said Boardman, who works as a disability and support worker (picture above with one of his clients), a job opportunity that came about through rugby connections.

“I like to say I haven’t worked a day in a year and seven months because I enjoy doing care stuff. My boss is a really, really great guy and also the other carers as well,” said Boardman, who credited his mother’s work in disability and respite care in schools as part of the inspiration for his full-time carer role.

“That takes up a lot of my time outside of rugby, and then I’m pretty flat out with rugby around that. They’re my two passions.”

Having grown up around Lennox Head and Ballina, Bond is close to home for keen surfer Boardman who now lives in Mermaid Beach with rugby mates. He said he is in the majority at Bond, with most players being Gold Coast residents while the other 35 per cent or so are students at Bond and other universities.

Boardman said the club and its players had worked hard on strengthening their culture throughout this delayed season.

“We’re really trying to enforce that by the players doing a lot around the club. Whether that be helping out our volunteers, or just putting our hand up to ask for what more we can do, rather than putting our hand out and asking for cash payments or however that might look.

“We’ve really tried to knuckle down and get good-quality guys in there, but also build a rugby culture around that, and a rugby team.

“It’s been challenging this year,” Boardman said. “But it’s been really beneficial to see everyone growing in different areas. Then they struggle, and we’re all willing to help each other. We’ve got a good vibe there at the moment, and I think it’s going to really help us coming into this shortened Hospital Cup season.”

Boardman is delighted to play the next two games at Bond, the first being a trial game against Sunnybank followed by the first round of the Premier competition against Norths.

“We’re confident regardless going into any game, but we’re more confident being at home. We love it when people come down and play at The Canal, and I don’t think the Brisbane clubs enjoy the drive down.

IMAGE SUPPLIED