Can the team from Melbourne rise to the challenge in 2015?

Last Season

The Melbourne Rising brought the NRC to life, winning all eight matches in the regular season.  Boasting a mix of Rebels and Victorian club players, the Rising dominated the NRC with a rock-solid pack and dynamic backline.  The Rising gave birth to the Stirzaker/Debreczei halves pair and helped Sean McMahon become a Wallaby.  Arguably, the biggest success would be Sefanaia Naivalu. ‘Super Sefa’ made history by signing with the Rebels directly from Victorian Premier Rugby.  One of many to come, I hope.

Sefanaia Naivalu – Rising, Rebels and beyond?

Coaching Staff

Zane Hilton will coach the Melbourne Rising for the 2015 Season.  Zane is the Assistant Coach (Forwards) at the Rebels and has coached in Italy, Australia and Japan.  Craig McGrath will be the Assistant Coach.

Zane has been quoted as ‘wanting to play an exciting, expansive style’, so expect more high scoring that delighted Rising fans last year.

Melbourne Rising Squad

The Melbourne Club Rugby teams are well represented in the Rising team, together with a number of regular and fringe Rebels.  There is plenty of internationally capped talent in the squad, including Dom Shipperly (Australia), Lloyd Johansson (Australia) and Justin Masters (Cook Island 7s).  They will be joined by the allocated Wallabies Luke Jones, Sean McMahon and Tom English.

Scott Fuglistaller and Colby Fainga’a will co-captain the side.

Players to Watch

Home-grown talent Fereti Sa’aga (Melbourne Uni) and Sione Tuipulotu (Southern Districts) represent the future of the local game.  Both players have played for Australian at the recent Under 20’s World Cup and look to have exciting Rugby futures ahead of them.

Whilst fortune may not favour the allocated Wallabies, the NRC is a great platform to stake a claim for Wallaby honours.  All three had a big 2014 NRC seasons, with Sean named the Buildcorp NRC players of the series.

Just like the Rebels, back-row spots will be hotly contested.  Up to eight players will all vie for place in the starting side.  A nice problem to have.

Sean McMahon – set for another big NRC season.

The Draw

In a welcome move, all four home games will be played across the state.  The Rising Home games will be held at Ashwood (vs Brisbane City), Morwell (vs Greater Sydney Rams), Geelong (vs NSW Country Eagles) and Frankston (vs Sydney Stars).  This is a great strategy to engage with the Victorian community and bring high-quality Rugby to a wider audience.

The Rising face a tough away draw this year with matches in Perth, Canberra, Goad Coast and Sydney.

FoxSports will broadcast live or stream every match of the NRC season.  The Rising feature in two live matches; round three (vs North Harbour Rays) and round eight (vs NSW Country Eagles).

Fearless prediction

The Rising took the NRC by surprise last year, winning the minor premiership in style.  The semi-final loss proved the team are human, but will only give them more hunger for the season ahead.

The competition underestimated the Rising, but I doubt they will make the same mistake again.  The Rising will face tough competition, but they have the talent and desire to go all the way.

I predict the Rising will have a big season and feature in the finals series.

2015 Melbourne Rising Squad

• Cruze Ah-Nau (Prop, Footscray & Rebels)
• Mitch Andrews (Hooker, Melbourne)
• Duncan Chubb (Prop, Southern Districts (NSW))
• Steve Cummins (Lock, Harlequin & Rebels)
• Jack Debreczeni (Flyhalf, Endeavour Hills & Rebels)
• Murray Douglas (Lock, Harlequin)
• Tom English (Wing, Melbourne Uni & Rebels)
• Colby Fainga’a (Flanker, Footscray & Rebels)
• Maradona Farao (Scrumhalf, Harlequin)
• Scott Fuglistaller (Flanker, Moorabbin & Rebels)
• Stacey Ili (Wing, Melbourne Uni)
• Sam Jeffries (Lock, Melbourne Uni & Rebels)
• Lloyd Johansson (Centre, Harlequin)
• Luke Jones (Lock, Moorabbin & Rebels)
• Pat Leafa (Hooker, Box Hill & Rebels)
• Justin Marsters (Fullback, Harlequin)
• Sean McMahon (Flanker, Endeavour Hills & Rebels)
• Ben Meehan (Scrumhalf, Box Hill & Rebels)
• Tim Metcher (Prop, Moorabbin & Rebels)
• Sakaria Noa (Lock, Southern Districts)
• Junior Paila (Scrumhalf, Endeavour Hills)
• Jonah Placid (Fullback, Melbourne Uni & Rebels)
• Jordy Reid (Flanker, Melbourne & Rebels)
• Fereti Sa’aga (Prop, Melbourne Uni)
• Dom Shipperley (Wing, Melbourne Uni & Rebels)
• Taiso Silafai-Leaana (Centre, Melbourne Uni)
• Pom Simona (Number 8, Harlequin)
• Leo Taliu (Centre, Harlequin)
• Sione Taufa (Flanker, Harlequin)
• Lopeti Timani (Number Eight, Footscray & Rebels)
• Sasa Tofilau (Centre, Melbourne Uni)
• Sione Tuipulotu (Centre, Southern Districts)
• Mike Tyler (Prop, Power House)