Melbourne Rebels 2011

[RugbyFuture]

i'd say

Hooker
Wing
centre
Ute centre/wing back, so fast, but with a brain and kick

 

[Reddy!]

This is great news, and will be good for the front row depth. Gerrard is a class player, enough said. I think the Rebels need to sign a decent winger with a bit of X-factor now.

I would love to see Rodzilla in contention for a Wallaby spot.

 

[Lance Free]

Sorry to deflate your balloon guys but Blake's form in the couple of games I saw him play for Bayonne a few months back was abysmal. Overweight, slow and ineffectual. He was outscrummaged and seemed to have regressed from his days in Oz. It was very disappointing.

 

[DPK]

Sorry to deflate your balloon guys but Blake's form in the couple of games I saw him play for Bayonne a few months back was abysmal. Overweight, slow and ineffectual. He was outscrummaged and seemed to have regressed from his days in Oz. It was very disappointing.

Macqueen Preseason, coooomin' up!

 

[sudrugby]

Sorry to deflate your balloon guys but Blake's form in the couple of games I saw him play for Bayonne a few months back was abysmal. Overweight, slow and ineffectual. He was outscrummaged and seemed to have regressed from his days in Oz. It was very disappointing.

Yes he has never been a good "value added" player for Bayonne. And the team was supposed to be relegated but was saved because of financial reasons.

 

[tranquility]

big deal. he has still thrown in head into about 1000 scrums over there, bring him home throw him into a proper professional environment and he will be fine. The squad is looking the goods in my opinion

 

[MrMouse]

1. Category A - membership with a dedicated reserved seat (Estimate $675-$775)

• A traditional style cotton Rebels rugby jumper

• Potential to re-sell tickets via Rebels website

• Access to purchase guest tickets during the season. (including access to the bar and dining facilities)

• Exclusive 'Inner sanctum' emails from Rod Macqueen on a weekly basis

Well, Tahs life membership is the equivalent of this, really, and costs ~ the same, but doesn't have the benefits above. If you figure for the jersey, it's a comparative bargain!
And yes, the fucktard pricing is the second reason I've let my Tahs life membership lapse (behind sheer incompetent fucking administration). Why do you think S14 is struggling? Swans membership is about same as your Hawks one, though I'm silver so only $250. Most league memberships are a comparative drop in the ocean.

Welcome to the Super 15.

 

[Novocastrian]

Sorry to deflate your balloon guys but Blake's form in the couple of games I saw him play for Bayonne a few months back was abysmal. Overweight, slow and ineffectual. He was outscrummaged and seemed to have regressed from his days in Oz. It was very disappointing.

So no change from before he left then?

 

[fatprop]

Sorry to deflate your balloon guys but Blake's form in the couple of games I saw him play for Bayonne a few months back was abysmal. Overweight, slow and ineffectual. He was outscrummaged and seemed to have regressed from his days in Oz. It was very disappointing.

They will need to have him banned by every KFC in the state and have him live with a personal trainer for the next 8 months

 

[RugbyReg]

Sorry to deflate your balloon guys but Blake's form in the couple of games I saw him play for Bayonne a few months back was abysmal. Overweight, slow and ineffectual. He was outscrummaged and seemed to have regressed from his days in Oz. It was very disappointing.

well two things:

1) we don't know the level of coaching over there? I don't suspect they bother with much fitness because of the length of the season. Give Rod a full off-season, after playing full club games, and it's a great start.
2) a prop that struggles in the French comp may well be a star in Australian rugby.

 

[RugbyReg]

Ok, this is what I like about the Rebels so far. Look at their team and where they came from (forgetting the internationals they need to fluff out the squad):

Mark Gerrard - brought back from Japan
Julian Huxley - signed from Brumbies
Peter Betham - signed from Tah Academy where wasn't getting game time
Cooper Vuna - former rugby player, league recruit
Stirling Mortlcok - signed from Brumbies
Lachlan Mitchell - brought back from UK
James Hilgendorf - brought back from Japan
Richard Kingi - signed from Reds where he wasn't getting game time
Sam Cordingly - brought back from ???Europe???
Tim Davidson - dunno, was he effectively retired?
Jarrod Saffy - former rugby player, league recruit
Adam Byrnes - signed from Reds
Luke Jones signed from Force, not getting game time (yet)
Al Campbell - brought back from (where?) OS
Laurie Weeks - signed from Reds
Nick Henderson - signed from Force
Rodney Blake - brought back from France.
Freier - from Tahs
Tessman - from club footy.

So, sure they've signed Mortlock, Henderson, Freier, HUxley, Byrne and Weeks who are (effectively) starting players from other provinces. But that's still good as we want this new team to have some experienced. But they've 'home' Gerrard, Hilgendorf, Mitchell, Blake, Camphell and Cordingly. Plus they've given opportunities to talented young players Kingi, Jones, Tessman and Betham. And then brought back a couple of leaguies who switched a while ago in Saffy and Cooper V.

It's what we want from a 5th team. If they can bring back one of MMM or Heenan as well, then ever better.

 

[Ash]

And don't forget the Luke Rooney rumours, either.

 

[tranquility]

I thought Luke Rooney was confirmed? he would be a great signing.

As much as I like the look of the squad, it disappoints me that more club players haven't been signed. Perhaps they will sign a large academy, like the Brumbies do because of the lack of local talent and fill it with good club players. Although in saying that someone down there must have a massive wrap on Tessman considering he is going straight into the senior squad. I am annoyed the Reds let him go, but it is good to see him get an opportunity.

 

[RugbyReg]

another signing. Anyone know him?

HARDENED, ready-made rugby players dominate the Melbourne Rebels squad for its inaugural Super 15 campaign, which is exactly what coach Rod Macqueen wanted.

While it remains incomplete, the 27-man roster, increased by the addition of Kiwi Tom Chamberlain from the Auckland Blues, contains enough talented players to be confident of early success.

Critics have pointed to the lack of a genuine superstar, possibly overlooking not just the presence of Englishman Danny Cipriani, but enough players capped by their countries to fill a competitive starting line-up.

With a first-up clash in February likely against the NSW Waratahs, Super 14 finalists this season, that Round 1 team cannot afford to be too experimental.

But close to a third of the squad has captaincy experience and given Macqueen's desire to build not just a rugby team but a culture at the Rebels, that advantage cannot be understated.



"We have a unique situation. Were not building a team as we've got to be competitive from day one," Macqueen told the Herald Sun.

"For this reason we've recruited specific players to help develop a culture specific to Melbourne.

"I am very happy with where we are at, having the added luxury of being able to choose players with the athletic ability that fits the game we wish to play."

But while there was a focus on immediate success in the Rebels' recruiting strategy there has also been one eye on the future.

The squad has an average age of about 26, but also contains a strong contingent of young players.

In the initial stages, that might mean a limited number of youngsters in the Rebels' starting line-up, with Macqueen likely to lean towards experience.





"It was important that we recruited players with the culture and experience to provide a strong platform upon which to build the team," assistant coach Damien Hill said.

"As a result we have senior players such as Stirling Mortlock, Gareth Delve, Sam Cordingley, Adam Freier and Greg Somerville, who have been successful in their careers because they have set the highest standards for their own performance and demand the same of those around them - this will be beneficial for the younger players in our squad."

The recruiting hasn't finished, with potential Wallaby Luke Rooney in the Rebels' sights.

 

[Newb]

openside i believe? he's probably been displaced by braid going back to the blues. i think he saw some starting time when he was healthy but i'm foggy on it.

 

[RugbyReg]

any of you locals recognise any of these lads?

 

[DPK]

Prototype jersey?

 

[RugbyReg]

not sure, but it is players from their 'centre of excellence'

 

[DPK]

Ah okay. en_force_er may know. Looks like the Cowboys (League) and the Bulls jersey amalgamated.

 

[tranquility]

it does have a very cowboys feel. or just league feel in general. Hope it is just a training Guernsey.