Chase the blues away | Bond University Sports

August 4, 2022

Jed Hogan, Jai Johnson & Andrew Fraser

Bond University Rugby Club beats the blues by wearing blue.

Half a dozen members don sky-colored jerseys on match days and during training sessions to identify themselves as mental health first aiders.

They obtained their qualifications under the guidance of a psychologist during a two-day online course from the White Cloud Foundation, which works in partnership with the Queensland Rugby Union.

“Some of our players have been asking us for advice since we brought in the blue shirts a few months ago,” said first-class assistant coach Andrew Fraser.

“The agents are available to everyone throughout the club, whether they are board members or spectators or possibly anyone else in the rugby community who needs help.

“They can come and talk to us in confidence.”

The six Bull Sharks staffers currently on the program range from Rugby director Luca Liussi to former Reds and Brumbies player turned third-class assistant coach and Stan Sport commentator Jeremy Austin.

The concept has become so popular with Bond that the club will soon be hosting a face-to-face course on campus. Twelve members have already signed up for the upcoming session, including five women.

“There is a growing audience that wants to help others,” Fraser said.

“This is all about continuing to end the stigma around depression and anxiety and telling people that it’s perfectly normal to lean on others when you’re feeling vulnerable.

“We get a lot of engagement with our male players and also with our female players.”

The program will also be rolled out across the Gold Coast District Rugby Union.

The Bull Sharks got a much-needed boost last weekend, recording a 46-10 win over Norths Eagles to make up for their five-point loss to Wests Bulldogs.

A TSS graduate and Bond Bachelor of Psychology student, Hamish Roberts shone on his debut, demonstrating his impressive speed and big right step to score his first try in first grade.

The winning ways will have to continue for the Bull Sharks who are still outside the top four with four rounds to go until the final. Bond will be a favorite as they head out this weekend to battle Souths Magpies.

Club veteran Nick Turner will record 200 caps on Saturday if he runs out of reserves. The Bull Sharks will hold a special celebration for the workhorse when they host the University of Queensland in the ‘Battle of the Nerds’ next weekend.