Rebels land second big name as Waldron signs up to the cause
RUPERT GUINNESS
January 12, 2010
Former rrWallabies coach Rod Macqueen will today meet Melbourne Rebels chairman Harold Mitchell and their new chief executive Brian Waldron to formulate his role with the franchise.
Pending today's meeting at Mitchell's South Melbourne office, it is understood the 1999 World Cup-winning coach's role with the new Super 15 side will be announced tomorrow. That will mark the Rebels' second big announcement this week after Waldron was yesterday named as chief executive, just hours after deciding to leave NRL premiers Melbourne, where he held the same position.
It is likely a second appointment will also be revealed by the Rebels tomorrow with former Wallabies and Queensland Reds coach John Connolly tipped to be handed a position.
Asked if his role would be as a director of rugby or coaching or as head coach, Macqueen said: ''Those are the sort of things we have to sort out. So I really can't speculate. We will be talking about the role. It's too early to say where we are at with it. I think this [the creation of the Rebels] is good for Australian rugby. That is what excites me - the passion and business support in Melbourne. I hope I'll have an involvement of some sort … We have been working on this for a while … sitting down and dotting the i's and crossing the t's.''
Macqueen, foundation coach of the ACT Brumbies in 1996 and 1997 before taking on the Wallabies job, has been a major supporter of Melbourne's bid to become Australia's fifth Super side.
''The reason I am enthusiastic is because I really do think it will work,'' he said yesterday. ''The fit with AFL is a good one. There is a lot of respect there for AFL and [we won't be] looking to take their ground. The uniqueness of rugby is something that Melbourne will embrace.''
Macqueen said he believed Waldron's experience in the NRL and the AFL - he worked with the Richmond and St Kilda clubs - should help the Rebels earn credibility in their formative years.
''You can become too insular and certainly the experience in intellectual property Brian brings from other codes is valuable,'' Macqueen said.
Waldron's biggest challenge at the Rebels, said Macqueen, would be ''starting afresh''. He added: ''We will have to build a culture. I am sure Brian is aware of that. It needs a lot of thought and a lot of time.''
Waldron, who will finish his six years with the Storm in a month, said his final decision to end his tenure at the NRL side was still made ''with a heavy heart … but it's a right move for me''.
However, he said that because of his pledge to remain loyal to the he Storm until the very end, he was not in a position to elaborate on his plans for the Rebels, who he will officially join on March 1.
However, Waldron said of his future in rugby: ''We have a great opportunity to build a highly successful club. If we can be anything as successful as what the Storm is, we will be thrilled.''
He said Melbourne could accommodate four codes with AFL, NRL, A-League and Super 15.
''[When] it was announced there would be a Super 15 team in Melbourne, I was supportive as CEO of the Storm,'' he said. ''I have always felt the biggest sporting market needs a representative team in each code. I have always respected AFL, but there is always room for more than one code in Melbourne. The Storm have demonstrated that. The Victory have demonstrated that. I trust the Rebels and new Melbourne Heart [A League side] will demonstrate that.''
In the meantime, the Rebels will continue to work on their recruitment. But the club yesterday denied reports that they had approached North Queensland NRL star Jonathan Thurston.
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