Player Watch Hugh Bond - Signed to End of 2025

[Mutineer]

I imagine it's not a coincidence that one week after we got completely cut up by our inability to lock down on an opposition's best player, we select a lockdown small to debut.

He ain't that small, 185cm and as strong as a mallee bull, I know for a fact our fitness guys were amazed at his at his ability in the weights room from day 1, no surprise given his background in rowing and the time he spent working on his strength at the RAD Centre here in Ballarat.

RAD

www.radcentre.com.au

Before anyone knew it, Bondy was training with the Adelaide team in the pre-season and even returned to RAD during the Christmas break. One of the most impressive feats was when Bondy entered the gym in Adelaide, starting on the rookie Strength and Conditioning Program, only to have the coaches quickly realize that he had a great training background of over five years. This recognition led to him lifting with the senior boys instead of the young rookies.

Rookie Me's snapshot sums him up perfectly.

 

[George Kramer]

Happy to see him get a go, helps us make a decision if we keep him. Plus having a lock down defender allows us to utilise Max in other ways and be more attacking.

Ryan hopefully gets a game soon but he’s guaranteed to be on the list next year.

Curtin ain’t playing any time soon whilst they figure out where he’s going to end up. His midfield time didn’t excite me, don’t know if it’s the knee or his size but lacked zip and mobility required for a mid. I’d like to seem him at half forward so he can lead up to the ball. He doesn’t have to get a huge amount of it and his leg delivering to the other forwards will be a weapon.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Pleased we are trying out new players, particularly those we are not sure about keeping on our list.

Crazy he is only our 4th player to debut when we are bottom 4.

He needs to get more than 1 game too.

 

[Golumless]

Happy to see him get a go, helps us make a decision if we keep him. Plus having a lock down defender allows us to utilise Max in other ways and be more attacking.

Ryan hopefully gets a game soon but he’s guaranteed to be on the list next year.

Curtin ain’t playing any time soon whilst they figure out where he’s going to end up. His midfield time didn’t excite me, don’t know if it’s the knee or his size but lacked zip and mobility required for a mid. I’d like to seem him at half forward so he can lead up to the ball. He doesn’t have to get a huge amount of it and his leg delivering to the other forwards will be a weapon.

Playing Bond in no way shape or form helps us make a decision to keep him at this stage. It hurts it by muddying the waters because now he goes to a proper depth player.

Take for example, if Bond plays well as a lockdown and Max completely spuds it up wherever we send him (lets say, inside midfield seeing we've been toying with that idea). Now what? Or Bond is meh, but Max takes to the midfield and looks like the next Will Day?

 

[BunjiMac]

I'd much prefer we invested time in a player like Bond with his physical attributes than a school.boy like parnell who is just too small for AFL

 

[George Kramer]

Playing Bond in no way shape or form helps us make a decision to keep him. It hurts it by muddying the waters.

Take for example, if Bond plays well as a lockdown and Max completely spuds it up wherever we send him (lets say, inside midfield seeing we've been toying with that idea). Now what? Or Bond is meh, but Max takes to the midfield and looks like the next Will Day?

The things that help make a decision is if they're best 22, gun prospect or not in the squad at all. The one thing you could say is it potentially catches any mistakes in our decision making, however.

You’re not serious? That’s one strange take.

If Bond shows promise and plays well we’ve found ourselves an AFL player and that can’t be a bad thing.

Max can stay in defence but play half back, intercepting defender, with license to attack more. Roles he’s shown he can play easily. Or they can try him in the midfield and if it doesn’t work he plays defence.

 

[Mutineer]

I'd much prefer we invested time in a player like Bond with his physical attributes than a school.boy like parnell who is just too small for AFL

RAD

www.radcentre.com.au

 

[SugarShane]

He needs to get more than 1 game too.

2 games as sub it is!

 

[Golumless]

You’re not serious? That’s one strange take.

If Bond shows promise and plays well we’ve found ourselves an AFL player and that can’t be a bad thing.

Max can stay in defence but play half back, intercepting defender, with license to attack more. Roles he’s shown he can play easily. Or they can try him in the midfield and if it doesn’t work he plays defence.

The strange take is thinking someone needs to be played at an AFL level to help make a decision. The easiest decision in list management is the guy who has not cracked the best 22 and is out of contract. That's a delist and move on kind of deal. Equally, if we are genuinely considering delisting Bond at this point of his career, then we should be delisting him seeing how low the bar is at for the 2nd year of someones career.

The other side of the coin is Max as a half back flanker is also a step backwards in our build. He can do it, for sure, but it does not provide as much value as a guy who can shut down a small forward and provide offensive value - which Max has been doing to a solid click this year. After all, you can add half backs to that. Midfield is a different beast and is really the only spot worth trying Max.

 

[dogs105]

I'm surprised by the "last chance" "only chance" comments.

Kid is 19. He is 5 months older than Dan Curtin.

 

[dogs105]

I'm surprised by the "last chance" "only chance" comments.

Kid is 19. He is 5 months older than Dan Curtin.

8 months older than Ryan and Charlie Edwards

7 months younger than Max Michalanney
2 months younger than Billy Dowling

 

[Ciao Giacomo]

I'd be disappointed if he's debuting despite the list management team already having his papers stamped no matter what.

So let's hope this is a fair crack, not a pointless game

Who said he was being delisted other than a bunch of nuffies that don’t watch the SANFL and don’t always watch our AFL team? He struggled in his first season but has shown steady improvement this year. He is no certainty to become a best 22 player but neither are Dowling and Cook.

Yes, I have been keen to see Taylor and Ryan given some AFL time but only this Board could find a negative in Hugh debuting.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Congrats to the young fella. Im looking forward to seeing his debut.

 

[footy4ever]

He ain't that small, 185cm and as strong as a mallee bull, I know for a fact our fitness guys were amazed at his at his ability in the weights room from day 1, no surprise given his background in rowing and the time he spent working on his strength at the RAD Centre here in Ballarat.

RAD

www.radcentre.com.au

Before anyone knew it, Bondy was training with the Adelaide team in the pre-season and even returned to RAD during the Christmas break. One of the most impressive feats was when Bondy entered the gym in Adelaide, starting on the rookie Strength and Conditioning Program, only to have the coaches quickly realize that he had a great training background of over five years. This recognition led to him lifting with the senior boys instead of the young rookies.

Rookie Me's snapshot sums him up perfectly.

View attachment 2044523

'here in Ballarat'... Mutineer what heinous act did you commit that god made you end up following the Crows?

 

[footy4ever]

Who said he was being delisted other than a bunch of nuffies that don’t watch the SANFL and don’t always watch our AFL team? He struggled in his first season but has shown steady improvement this year. He is no certainty to become a best 22 player but neither are Dowling and Cook.

Yes, I have been keen to see Taylor and Ryan given some AFL time but only this Board could find a negative in Hugh debuting.

Nicks is a campaigner for not debuting him and he's also a campaigner for debuting him.

 

[Mutineer]

'here in Ballarat'... Mutineer what heinous act did you commit that god made you end up following the Crows?

Born in Pt Augusta, spent more than half my life in SA until moving to Qld and then Victoria.

 

[MrBarry]

Happy to see him get a go, helps us make a decision if we keep him. Plus having a lock down defender allows us to utilise Max in other ways and be more attacking.

Ryan hopefully gets a game soon but he’s guaranteed to be on the list next year.

Curtin ain’t playing any time soon whilst they figure out where he’s going to end up. His midfield time didn’t excite me, don’t know if it’s the knee or his size but lacked zip and mobility required for a mid. I’d like to seem him at half forward so he can lead up to the ball. He doesn’t have to get a huge amount of it and his leg delivering to the other forwards will be a weapon.

He's had what, one game there ?

Give the lad a chance ffs

 

[cleanhands]

Born in Pt Augusta, spent more than half my life in SA until moving to Qld and then Victoria.

Nothing like going backwards slowly

 

[George Kramer]

The strange take is thinking someone needs to be played at an AFL level to help make a decision. The easiest decision in list management is the guy who has not cracked the best 22 and is out of contract. That's a delist and move on kind of deal. Equally, if we are genuinely considering delisting Bond at this point of his career, then we should be delisting him seeing how low the bar is at for the 2nd year of someones career.

The other side of the coin is Max as a half back flanker is also a step backwards in our build. He can do it, for sure, but it does not provide as much value as a guy who can shut down a small forward and provide offensive value - which Max has been doing to a solid click this year. After all, you can add half backs to that. Midfield is a different beast and is really the only spot worth trying Max.

Wow, so a guy playing AFL doesn’t help in making a decision whether a player is AFL quality or not? Righto. Clearly if the player is a spud the club can make a decision without AFL, if it’s borderline then playing AFL is the only way of knowing. Clearly there is something about Bond that they he deserves a game.

As for Max that’s not a reason to not play Bond. The reason to play Bond is based on Bond.

 

[BRL121]

He's had what, one game there ?

Give the lad a chance ffs

George's judgement is peerless.

 

[George Kramer]

He's had what, one game there ?

Give the lad a chance ffs

Happy to give him a chance obviously but let’s revisit this after he’s had his chance, more than happy to be wrong. But I don’t think physically he’s suited.

 

[BunjiMC]

Gives me something to get excited about Saturday night. I've loved what Dowling has offered and Taylor has also shown he is up to it in limited game time.

 

[cleanhands]

Gives me something to get excited about Saturday night. I've loved what Dowling has offered and Taylor has also shown he is up to it in limited game time.

Not sure if it’s getting excited but does give me a reason to watch

 

[Scorpus]

Who said he was being delisted other than a bunch of nuffies that don’t watch the SANFL and don’t always watch our AFL team? He struggled in his first season but has shown steady improvement this year. He is no certainty to become a best 22 player but neither are Dowling and Cook.

Yes, I have been keen to see Taylor and Ryan given some AFL time but only this Board could find a negative in Hugh debuting.

I mean he's still out of contract at round 18 and was the only 2022 draftee not to be given an extension beyond his initial 2 years

I guess our list managers are the ones that don't watch the SANFL or our AFL team

 

[craig crowing]

Well to be honest would have preferred Curtin or Ryan to get game .
To me seems like another Murphy McHenry goes in hard selection rather than a selection of talent that can go to another level.
If it means McHenry not picked then I am happy.
Not sure moving on where going to fit in backlines once all injuries return next season.