Melbourne Rebels 2011

[en_force_er]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

Like I said above, get Cronk and Inglis or Slater.

One very good leaguie with alot of rugby experience and one league superstar with alot of rugby potential.

 

[JM-P]

Eddies sour comments

How sour is Eddy with his negative BS in the media.
Having more teams will be better for sure Eddy and you are simply feeling left out IMHO.
He is getting worse. :

 

[RugbyFuture]

Re: Eddies sour comments

How sour is Eddy with his negative BS in the media.
Having more teams will be better for sure Eddy and you are simply feeling left out IMHO.
He is getting worse. :

paying attention to him only makes him feel more important

 

[JM-P]

Re: Eddies sour comments

paying attention to him only makes him feel more important

yup,..you are right, but he is soooooo funny :lmao:

 

[Spook]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

If Slater has the profile in Melbourne that has been suggested below, can 1 million be justified?

THE Melbourne Rebels are poised to stun an embattled rugby league by making an extraordinary offer of almost $1 million a season for Storm fullback Billy Slater.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the new rugby union franchise will make a firm bid for the Melbourne superstar within the next 10 days.

The Rebels have also made a gigantic offer for Brisbane champion Israel Folau. His deal is also believed to be worth nearly $1 million a year.

Slater, among the top three players in rugby league, is under contract with Melbourne until the end of next season.

But with the Storm having to shed $700,000 worth of talent before next year, he could be the first to go in the wake of the club's salary cap breach.

"Slater is an athlete. He would be the ideal fullback in rugby," a source close to the Rebels said. "It is just a matter of how much the ARU wants to tip in."

Slater is a true star in Melbourne, immediately recognisable even to AFL-mad residents.

The fledgling Rebels would strike an unbelievable blow for their code by managing to steal one of league's superstars.

An offer for Folau has been tabled. It too is believed to be massive.

Folau left the Storm after 2008 for Brisbane, claiming to be homesick. But it appears he has now overcome his homesickness and is considering the massive offer to jump codes.

Folau could strike a lethal combination in the centres at the Rebels with former Wallaby captain Stirling Mortlock.

New Rebels chief executive Patrick Wilson was not revealing his clubs plans.

A Daily Telegraph analysis shows the market value of Melbourne's top five players exceeds all other clubs, except the Broncos.

The estimated value of Storm superstars Slater ($500,000), Greg Inglis ($500,000), Cameron Smith ($475,000), Cooper Cronk ($350,000) and Ryan Hoffman ($325,000) eats up a phenomenal $2.1 million of Melbourne's $4.1m salary cap allowed for their top 25 players.

The average wage of the Storm's remaining 20 players on their roster is only $100,000.

With so much depth on their roster it's easy to understand why the Storm are so far above the cap.

Brisbane's top five players - Darren Lockyer ($500,000), Folau ($475,000), Justin Hodges ($425,000), Sam Thaiday ($350,000) and Peter Wallace ($325,000) might equal the market value of their Storm counterparts.

However, the Broncos' top-shelf talent quickly drops off.

If fact, no team in the NRL matches the Storm for overall talent. The Storm will have to shed at least one star player - if not two - to come back under the salary cap for 2011.

One Storm source said: "The Rebels would love to strike now given our situation."

 

[RugbyFuture]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

Slater would be useless, he's a good athlete, but i compare his skillset and body size to matt rogers, meaning it will break too easily in rugby.

 

[Gagger]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

Great, another midget back

 

[TOCC]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

Slater is about the same size as Hynes

I dont think size is a issue in this case, i see Slater playing a very similar game to how Davies plays at the Reds, he could be a absolute star in union

 

[waratahjesus]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

ability to be a star, probably highest profile player in either code in melbourne, if its being payed for by someone else, just do it.

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

Melbourne Rebels have withdrawn their offer to Brumbies captain and No.8 Stephen Hoiles in the wake of the Storm salary cap scandal, .

The Rebels had given Hoiles until Sunday to make a decision, but took their offer off the table before the deadline expired.

It is understood the Rebels' offer to Hoiles included a significant third-party endorsement, although there is no suggestion the deal flouted the ARU's recruitment protocols.

"With all the recent drama it has been formally withdrawn," Hoiles said of the Rebels' offer.

"I'm hoping to re-sign with the Brumbies. It's a couple of weeks away."

The Rebels declined to reveal why they withdrew their offer to Hoiles on the same day disgraced chief executive Brian Waldron resigned.

Waldron was named as the "architect" of NRL team Melbourne Storm's salary cap rort.

"I'm not making any comment on contractual matters," Rebels acting chief executive Pat Wilson said.

"There is a raft of players we have talked to and considered at different times. Those discussions are private and confidential."

Hoiles was keen to supplement his Super 14 contract after the ARU declined to offer a top-up.

Under ARU protocols, Super rugby teams are not allowed to arrange third-party deals. They must be organised by the player's manager.

There is certain to be more scrutiny of the Rebels' contracting following the departure of Waldron.

The ARU will work with the Rebels to ensure the contracting protocols have been observed.

"It makes sense in terms of good corporate governance for everyone to ensure all contracting protocols are in accordance with ARU protocols," an ARU spokesman said.

"We've had indications from the Rebels they would like to work with us in ensuring there is no room for innuendo or speculation.

"It would not be appropriate for the ARU to be commenting on issues the NRL is dealing with. However, the issue for all sports is how to deal with third-party agreements to assure compliance and risk-management processes are adequate.

"It's incumbent upon us all to make sure our backyards are tidy. It goes to the fundamental issue of reputation and integrity."

Hoiles' preference was to stay in Canberra and the Rebels were aware of that. If he showed more interest in moving to Melbourne, the Rebels would probably have kept the offer on the table.

He had been approached by French club Stade Francais, but Hoiles will now look to supplement his contract by getting a part-time "real job".

There has been speculation the Rebels would raid the ranks of the Storm, but they did not want to be seen as preying on the NRL club's vulnerability.

"We are working closely with the Storm," Rebels coach Rod Macqueen said.

"We want to support them as much as we can."

First bold - why? Don't understand.

2nd bold - ha! Good on him.

 

[James Buchanan]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

First bold - why? Don't understand.

My reading of that subtext would be "oh, we're going to want to use this money elsewhere. Sorry Stephen"

 

[Blue]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

First bold - why? Don't understand.

My reading of that subtext would be "oh, we're going to want to use this money elsewhere. Sorry Stephen"

Or "We don't need an immature guy who can't control himself with the ref.."

 

[DPK]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

Or "We don't need an immature guy who can't control himself with the ref.."

Not a problem if you dont put him as captain.

 

[Tiger]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

I thought first bold might mean that:

1. There was a 3rd party deal to get Hoiles to the Rebels.

2. While there was "no suggestion" that the 3rd party deal breached ARU protocols, in the wake of Waldron's departure maybe the Rebels couldn't be sure either way until they had a proper look at it.

3. The deadline was approaching and the concern was that if Hoiles accepted the offer, the Rebels could be left with a deal that they hadn't properly vetted and satisfied themselves with that it was appropriate.

4. Therefore, the Rebels withdrew their offer.

Pure speculation, but it might be an explanation.

 

[Lee Grant]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

That's how I read it Tiger. Maybe they're checking if there is another secret file that has dodgy stuff in it.

If that's right though and they want Hoiles then the new Rebels management should just say to his manager that any understandings between the two parties are void but here is an offer that we can make. If they delay it is tantamount to saying they don't want him any more.

Hoiles is a good Super player in an open game where his linking ability gets a premium and with the law crackdown linking has more currency than it ever had.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

Any contract formed though fraud or illegality or is seeking by its structure to be illegal is void ab initio.

 

[Tiger]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

Any contract formed though fraud or illegality or is seeking by its structure to be illegal is void ab initio.

Sorry, I don't understand your point. While that might be right, what's the relevance of it?

 

[RugbyFuture]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...for-israel-folau/story-e6frg7mf-1225858539604

Melbourne Rebels set to win the fight for Israel Folau

* Dan Koch and Wayne Smith
* From: The Australian
* April 27, 2010 12:00AM

BRONCOS superstar Israel Folau is poised to turn his back on rugby league to sign with the Melbourne Rebels Super 15 franchise.

Folau's decision to defect will rock a code already reeling from last week's Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal. The news comes as Rebels coach Rod Macqueen refuted reports his club was poised to make a massive $1 million-a-season offer to Billy Slater.

"We said from day one that we wanted to work alongside the Storm, particularly at a time like now when they are going through their troubles," Macqueen said yesterday. "We are of the strong belief that it is absolutely important to do that.

"So there has been absolutely no approach to Billy Slater from us. I can unequivocally say that and we don't intend to (make an approach), on the basis that we are working together in Melbourne."

Asked whether the Rebels would be interested in talking to other Storm players, Macqueen replied: "I just want to make it plain from our perspective that we are not seeing this as an opportunity. Right now, you've got to feel sorry for the (Storm) players. They are going through a tough time and we don't want to make it any tougher."

No such sympathy is being offered to Brisbane however, with the Rebels quietly confident they will have Folau for 2011. Under the terms of his contract with the Broncos, Folau must inform Brisbane boss Bruno Cullen by this Friday whether he intends to exercise the option to end his time in Brisbane.

With no answer, the final two years of the deal are automatically activated, forcing Folau to indicate his position to the Broncos before then.

In his second year at the Broncos after two years with the Storm, Folau is believed keen to return to the city where he established his professional sporting career.

When his decision is made public, it is believed he will join gun trio Karmichael Hunt, Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri on the list of Broncos stars lured away from the NRL whilst in their prime.

Sailor was 26 when the big dollars on offer from the Australian Rugby Union proved too much to resist, while Tuqiri and Hunt were just 23 when they were lost to rugby union and AFL respectively.

It is understood the Rebels have sounded out the ARU about what level of top-up they would provide for Folau.

The Melbourne club has incorporated that figure into their negotiations with him.

However, the process has not gone beyond a verbal agreement and the ARU has not yet put a contract on the table for Folau to sign.

Despite being younger than both Tuqiri and Hunt, Folau has already achieved more than most players could hope for across a 10-year career.

Try-scoring records, the NRL rookie-of-the-year award, a premiership ring and five State of Origin and seven Test jumpers is testament to Folau's status as one of the game's premier athletes, with his potential departure a devastating blow for both the league and the Broncos. Folau's management refused to comment, insisting the 103kg powerhouse was still weighing up his options.

The Rebels were similarly reluctant to discuss the situation, with the administration still finding its feet following disgraced chief executive Brian Waldron's resignation last week in the wake of revelations he oversaw the systematic salary cap breaches unearthed last week during his time at the Storm.

However, The Australian has learned Rebels officials moved swiftly to reassure both Folau and his management team of their desire to have him be part of their inaugural squad.

A similar call was also placed to former St George Illawarra Dragon and Kangaroo Mark Gasnier in France. Decision day is looming for Gasnier after his Parisian club Stade Francais brought to an end a disappointing season with a 41-17 victory over Metro Racing Club de France on Saturday.

Gasnier certainly fits Macqueen's "no mercenaries" profile - facing a hefty pay cut from his lucrative European deal if he wants to return to Australia to chase a Wallabies jersey.

"He's got a decision to make - whether to come back to Australian rugby or whether to stay - obviously he's going to get more money if he stays in France," Macqueen said.

"We've said that we would like if Mark came to Australia we'd certainly like him to be with the Rebels."

 

[en_force_er]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

Folau, Gasnier and Mortlock. That back-line is many things but small is not one of them. Shit.

 

[CanadianRugby]

Re: Rebels deadline ends, update here on what you hear.

Is there a fly-half in the Rebels future?