Celebrating the Rebels

[RebelYell]

I thought I would do something different. To celebrate our 14 seasons I thought I would list my 14 favourite (not our best) players:
1 Gareth Delve
2 Marika Koroibete
3 Reece Hodge
4 Sefanaia Naivalu
5 Tom English
6 Cabous Eloff
7 Tamati Ellison
8 Andrew Kellaway
9 Colby Fainga'a
10 Carter Gordon
11 Shota Horie
12 Danny Cipriani
13 Jarrod Saffy
14 Telusa Veainu

To address the elephant in the room, I know Telusa Veainu only played 8 games for the Rebels and 6 games for the Rising. But I was a big fan he had X Factor. Unfortunately, TT was allergic to X Factor.

Great list Scott. No Higgers?

 

[Scooter]

Great list Scott. No Higgers?

No, had some players in like Higgers and McMahon but couldn't fit them all in. Will post my best 23 later in the week.

 

[Scooter]

Andrew Kellaway and Cabous Eloff have played 49 matches for the Rebels and Brad Wilkin has played 48 matches for the Rebels.

So I would expect Kellaway to make it to 50 games but both Eloff and Wilkin to be stranded on 49 games.

 

[Tex]

Honestly my favourite players have all been front row piggies.

Ged Robinson
Shota Horie
Paul Alo-emile
Laurie Weeks
Cabous Elof
Toby Smith
Pone Fa'amausili

 

[Tex]

Although PAE was more of a "what could have been?" selection after he destroyed every scrum in the NRC then went to France.

 

[Dctarget]

Although PAE was more of a "what could have been?" selection after he destroyed every scrum in the NRC then went to France.

and has subsequently destroyed every scrum there too with his brother

 

[Highlander35]

Props are so hard to get right at the best of times, but it definitely felt like Australian teams struggled all throughout the 2010s (and possibly longer) getting sustained improvement out of props who weren't super rugby starters by 21, 22.

 

[PhilClinton]

I've had a number of mates play for the Rebels over the years. Pretty much all of them have told me Shota Horie was a legend.

He seemed to have a bit of a cult following, at least within the team itself.

Never met the bloke but I hope he's doing well.

 

[Scooter]

Quirky stat:

Tom Sexton and Mick Snowden both played 5 matches for the Rebels but never played at the same venue.

Tom Sexton played at Westpac Stadium, Allianz Stadium, AAMI Park, Suncorp Stadium and DHL Newlands.

Mick Snowden played at Loftus Versfeld, AAMI Park, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Kings Park and Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Sexton had eight games where he was on the bench but never came on. Plenty of 80 minute games for Pat Leafa in 2015.

 

[Scooter]

Although PAE was more of a "what could have been?" selection after he destroyed every scrum in the NRC then went to France.

You may well say "what could have been" but PAE played 50 games for the Rebels.

 

[Scooter]

My best 23
1 Toby Smith
2 Jordan Uelese
3 Laurie Weeks
4 Hugh Pyle
5 Matt Philip
6 Sean McMahon
7 Richard Hardwick
8 Gareth Delve
9 Nic Stirzaker
10 Carter Gordon
11 Marika Koroibete
12 Tom English
13 Tamati Ellison
14 Reece Hodge
15 Andrew Kellaway
16 Ged Robinson
17 Matt Gibbon
18 Cabous Eloff
19 Luke Jones
20 Colby Fainga'a
21 Nick Phipps
22 Mitch Inman
23 Sefanaia Naivalu

 

[KevinO]

Most overrated: While we have had a few who did not perform for us, the most overrated for me was Nic Stirzaker. Never understood the hype and thought Tony M biggest mistake was dropping Meehan when Stirzaker returned from injury. We had started the season well and were winning, as soon as Stirzaker returned our season went to rubbish. Others: Tom Kingston, Angus Roberts and Monty Ioane.

Most underrated: This is a tough one, for me it's got to be Jordy Reid, didn't look like your typical Manly rugby player. But he sure gave it his all and never failed to make an impact. The guy even played with a broken back in the end. Other mentions in this category would be Lackie Mitchell, Richard Kingi, Hugh Pyle, Scott Fuglistaller, Bryce Hegarty, Ben Meehan, Tamati Ellison,

 

[Highlander35]

Stirzaker vs Meehan seemed to be doomed on two factors.

Totalitarian Tony and Bip obviously just didn't get along at all in how they wanted the game to be played. And the backroom obviously loved Stirzaker's image as captain from all the right sort of pathways and connections to schmooze, as compared to Bip's... shall we be generous and say rough edges?

 

[KevinO]

Stirzaker vs Meehan seemed to be doomed on two factors.

Totalitarian Tony and Bip obviously just didn't get along at all in how they wanted the game to be played. And the backroom obviously loved Stirzaker's image as captain from all the right sort of pathways and connections to schmooze, as compared to Bip's... shall we be generous and say rough edges?

And then you look at life after the Rebels, Meehan 100 games in the premiership, Stirzaker 20 games premiership and 24 games D2 France.

 

[Tex]

Tony was such a disappointing coach. We went backwards at a rate of knots

 

[Highlander35]

Tony was such a disappointing coach. We went backwards at a rate of knots

No I get it. 14 to 15 was a substantial improvement after the major adjustment in playstyle after Hill, and I think an extension was justified. '16 had major warning signs with that -121 PD despite a 7-8 record though. I don't recall if he'd gotten 2 years or just the single, but if it was the latter that was the big mistake.

 

[KevinO]

No I get it. 14 to 15 was a substantial improvement after the major adjustment in playstyle after Hill, and I think an extension was justified. '16 had major warning signs with that -121 PD despite a 7-8 record though. I don't recall if he'd gotten 2 years or just the single, but if it was the latter that was the big mistake.

He got 4 years, I never wanted him as coach. He was poor at Munster and only won the Magners league because they were knocked out of Europe in the group stages.

Always remember we flogged the Cheetahs and then he made stupid changes for Force away and we were smashed. Was over in Perth for work and stayed the weekend to go to the game.

 

[Scooter]

McGahan was far and away our worst coach. I was shocked when Stirzaker was named captain before 2016 particularly when he was injured. I thought Sean McMahon was the obvious captain.

I have to agree re: Stirzaker replacing Meehan when he came back from injury. I was a fan of Meehan given he had previously played for the Storm Under 20s.

Unfortunately, Meehan had too much zip for McGahan. McGahan liked boring rugby. I would have loved Telusa Veainu to get more opportunities.

Then there was a time Bryce Hegarty set up a try from 60 metres away. McGahan in the box said "if he does that again he's f***ing off." Because Hegarty set up a try and didn't stick to boring game plan of kicking from our own half.

 

[swingpass]

McGahan was far and away our worst coach. I was shocked when Stirzaker was named captain before 2016 particularly when he was injured. I thought Sean McMahon was the obvious captain.

I have to agree re: Stirzaker replacing Meehan when he came back from injury. I was a fan of Meehan given he had previously played for the Storm Under 20s.

Unfortunately, Meehan had too much zip for McGahan. McGahan liked boring rugby. I would have loved Telusa Veainu to get more opportunities.

Then there was a time Bryce Hegarty set up a try from 60 metres away. McGahan in the box said "if he does that again he's f***ing off." Because Hegarty set up a try and didn't stick to boring game plan of kicking from our own half.

Yes i remember the Hegarty incident well. TT was terrible, the Meehan blacklisting, Stirzakers captaincy, the appalling game plans

 

[Scooter]

Can the Rebels consortium use that as part of their legal claim? From memory we only got McGahan because he was under contract RA and they wanted to offload him somewhere.

No doubt we lost a heap of fans with his boring as bat dos game plan.