Sport
13 February, 2023
Former local Lachlan Bond mixes it with the best of the best from Geelong
Ex-Maryborough local Lachlan Bond recently had the opportunity of a lifetime when he was tapped on the shoulder to participate in a match simulation with AFL premiers Geelong. In recent years, Bond has bounced around the precipices of breaking...
Ex-Maryborough local Lachlan Bond recently had the opportunity of a lifetime when he was tapped on the shoulder to participate in a match simulation with AFL premiers Geelong.
In recent years, Bond has bounced around the precipices of breaking through at VFL level thanks to his strong performances with Maryborough in the past, earning opportunities with Carlton and Essendon’s VFL teams in previous years.
However, having settled into Geelong, Bond has now made a name for himself with their VFL team, as well as with the Newtown and Chilwell Eagles, where he currently plies his trade at local level.
In 15 games with the Eagles last season, he booted 37 goals, including four hauls of four goals or more, while also playing four games with Geelong’s VFL team, kicking six goals, including an impressive four-goal haul against Sandringham in round 20.
And with Bond having a stunning start to pre-season at the Cats’ VFL affiliate, he was able to earn his opportunity to mix it with the reigning premiers.
“It was pretty surreal. Watching all of them make a grand final last year, and then being able to play with the likes of Jeremy Cameron, Patrick Dangerfield and those kinds of players. It was a bit weird, walking in and seeing them all, but it was a good experience,” he said.
“I came to Geelong last year, playing with my local club at Newtown and Chilwell against the VFL team in a practice match, and played alright, then I got a call-up to play with them. In 2022 I got to play six games. Then I’ve been going well at training over the pre-season, so that’s how I got the call-up to participate with Geelong’s AFL team.”
In recent years, Bond had battled to get back on to the park after winning the Bendigo Football Netball League rising star award in 2018. Having suffered a broken foot in 2019, followed by football’s shutdown in 2020 due to COVID, Bond made a tentative return in 2021, having played 10 games with the Eagles, alongside one-off appearances with Maryborough and Carlton’s VFL team.
But having decided the 90-minute drive to training every night was affecting his best football, Bond hasn’t looked back since making a name for himself with the Cats.
“I moved to Geelong about three or four years ago now just to chase football, I was with Carlton for a few years, but then moved to Geelong, which made for a 10-minute drive instead of an hour and a half drive every night,” he said.
Bond played predominantly as a forward throughout the match simulation session, lining up on some of the Cats best rebounding defenders, including potential new captain Tom Stewart.
“It was pretty weird going out on to the field and having Zach Tuohy and Tom Stewart lining up on me — I’m not used to having big names like those playing on me, but it was pretty cool. Even Esava Ratugolea was someone who I played on, and he’s a big man too,” he said.
“I was up forward, playing around the 50 as a centre half forward or as a full forward. I’m hopefully looking to get a bit of midfield time throughout the season in short stints here and there, however.”
Bond was left in awe by the way Geelong have revamped their game plan in recent years, having recovered from their 83-point loss to Melbourne in the 2021 preliminary final to play a game plan that encouraged quicker ball use through the midfield, one which paid off in spades as they were able to take an 81-point victory in the 2022 grand final against Sydney.
Bond also noticed how the team were able to communicate, showing that the Cats look set to continue to be a force in 2023 despite the retirement of inspirational leader Joel Selwood, having recruited strongly by acquiring GWS’ Tanner Bruhn, Jack Bowes from the Gold Coast and Ollie Henry from Collingwood.
“They use the ball very well. Even the slower game play they had, they were still able to break lines and use the footy very well through the midfield. They have a great team. They’ve recruited a few quality younger players that will come through and help their system as well, so once the likes of Tom Hawkins and Patrick Dangerfield drop off, they will have the next wave of young players coming through that will be able to fill their shoes,” he said.
“Even though they are an older sort of team, the way they move the ball, and for the older players, the amount of time and space they give for themselves, especially someone like a Jeremy Cameron who is turning 30, just the way he moves is like he is in his second prime right now. The way they use the footy and they always communicate is outstanding.
“There were a few times where Dangerfield came up to me and told me ways to improve. Younger players like Tanner Bruhn were also communicating and trying to help each other improve and make their game as a team better overall.”
Bond’s goals for 2023 are simple — make as big an impact as possible in Geelong’s VFL team, and if not, perform at local level to get back into the team sooner rather than later.
“I’ll be trying to play as many games as I can. Last year, I was hindered a bit through COVID and a suspension, but I’ll be looking to play as much as I can. If not, I’ll try to perform at local level to put my name out there to help stay in the VFL team as long as I can,” he said.
And with Maryborough players recently making an impact at state level, such as Aidan Hare and Jacob Lohmann, Bond said that the opportunity for younger players to thrive from the Magpies junior ranks displays the club’s status as one that can effectively develop young players.
“It definitely shows that blokes like Aidan Hare, Jacob Lohmann, Liam Latch and myself can make it from Maryborough, you can do well and go to the next level in your football career,” he said.