Melbourne Rebels 2011

[Brumbies Guy]

Just to jump back to the Captain discussion, I don´t really see how it can´t be Stirlo. I don´t think you can NOT pick someone as captain because he might (probably will) get hurt. Mortlock has been through the wars, should have the respect of everyone else on the team and is a experienced player. I also don´t think that you need to appoint an Australian as captain, partly because you don´t need to be captain to learn leadership. Having Delve as Vice ready to step up in due time would be a good move, but I think Stirling is who you need for the first season.

Isn't he already missing the trial games through injury?

 

[lily]

Eddie Aholelei is one of the guys in white. Angus Hamilton played Aust schools a couple of years ago.

 

[blues recovery]

Stirling will be playing in the Rebels second trial againd Tonga on Friday the 21st of January and will be captain for the season with Delve as vice.

 

[en_force_er]

Stirling will be playing in the Rebels second trial againd Tonga on Friday the 21st of January and will be captain for the season with Delve as vice.

That would make sense. You're mail seems good but I don't understand why they would wait so long to announce a decision everybody already knows.

Isn't he already missing the trial games through injury?

He's still recovering from his old injury so I presume it's just a case of waiting an extra week.

 

[TOCC]

Rebels owner Harold Mitchell has pledged $100'000 to the QLD Flood victims

 

[stoff]

Rebels owner Harold Mitchell has pledged $100'000 to the QLD Flood victims

The trial game against the Crusaders will also be a fundraiser. The Rebels are hoping to raise $500k for the flood appeal.

 

[Newter]

I love this culture-building shit. It's what the Wallabies are really missing.

http://www.melbournerebels.com.au/ArticleDetails/tabid/270/ArticleID/1076/Default.aspx

Rod Macqueen is one of rugby’s most celebrated coaches. He is a World Cup winner; a Tri-Nations winner and the mastermind behind the defeat of the combined might of the British and Irish Lions.

He is also a Rebel.

As the inaugural Director of Rugby and Head Coach of Melbourne’s RaboDirect Rebels, Macqueen is the central figure in the development of a professional rugby culture in a sport-obsessed city.

After such a long and successful career in the game, building a club from its foundations might seem like an unnecessary risk to take. Not for Macqueen.

“All the players that have come here have come from around the world and they’re all taking a risk. In a lot of ways that’s why we’ve picked them. You never do anything special without taking risks,” Macqueen explained.

And the Rebels’ Coach knows a thing or two about special.

He coached Australia to World Cup success in 1999. He led the Wallabies to their first Tri-Nations title in 2000. He was the foundation coach of the ACT Brumbies, guiding the unfancied side to the final of the Super Rugby competition in just its second season and providing the platform for the Brumbies to win two titles in its first nine years.

Aside from coaching a Tsunami Relief side in 2005, Macqueen has been out of full-time coaching since leaving the Wallabies in 2001. Achieving almost all there is as a coach and with successful business interests outside the game it was going to take something inspiring to get him back into a tracksuit.

Fortunately for Melbourne, the prospect of a new team there inspired him.

“In consulting with the successful consortium I realised what a great opportunity it was to bring rugby to Melbourne – a city itself that embraces sport like no other,” Macqueen said. “I was also impressed by the extreme professionalism of the group involved. It’s something I really believe in and I think if you really believe in something it’s good if you can do something about it.”

Macqueen’s version of ‘doing something about it’ has involved six months in a suit creating the coaching structure at the Rebels. Followed by six months in a tracksuit, moulding an assortment of the finest international rugby bloodstock into a side capable of competing in the world’s toughest club rugby competition.

To succeed at such a herculean task requires management skills of the highest order, something that plays to his strengths.

“I believe the coach’s role is to stand back and see the bigger picture; to give the players and team management the best opportunity to perform to their maximum ability on any given day; to help give them the confidence to make decisions both personally and collectively; and to ensure they maintain a balance in life.”

One of the first elements of Macqueen’s philosophy to be embedded in the fledgling club was the creation and implementation of the Rebel Creed. The Creed, formed around an acronym of the word REBEL (Respect, Excellence, Balance, Ethos, Leadership), is about making clear that being a Rebel is more than on-field performance. The status of Rebel has to be earned, its values understood and confirmation only through player-induction.

This holistic culture is central to the Rebels’ differentiation in a crowded marketplace.

“When you start something from scratch you have no culture. A culture has to be built from within.” Macqueen is keen to point out. “You can’t just tell people what a culture is, it actually has to come from the players. So we sat down and looked at how we could define this culture we needed to build.”

What emerged was an ethos based on partnerships – with schools, businesses and charities. It has at its core a commitment to Melbourne and an understanding of where rugby sits in Victoria’s sporting landscape. Macqueen made sure this commitment was central to player approaches and that by becoming a Rebel, recruits were aware of their obligations.

Macqueen is proud that the Rebel Creed is integrated throughout the club – to the point where it is even embroidered on the club jersey. “If anyone buys a replica jersey in a sports shop, the pledge is a part of it. Every single article of merchandise will have the 5 stars and an explanation of what that means. Already, without kicking a ball we can start to influence sport in Melbourne,” Macqueen explained.

By building a culture and not simply assembling a XV, Macqueen has provided an environment in which success will be measured in more than just Super Rugby points. “It’s very easy to measure success in terms of winning and losing,” he said. “We’ll be measuring ourselves on the standards we set ourselves. And if we honour the pledge both on and off the field we will consider that successful – and as a result of that I hope our win-loss ratio won’t be too bad either.”

Don’t for one second believe that such a statement means the Rebels are planning to take their time bedding in. Macqueen is adamant his side has to be competitive on the field from day one. “That’s why we haven’t picked a young side and said ‘we’re going to build over three years.’ We’ve got a mix of experienced players and younger players – we’ve got mentors and rookies – the whole idea is to have succession planning in place but to have some older heads during the early years.”

Against seasoned opposition the task facing the Rebels is huge. True to form however, Macqueen is one step ahead and is already looking to the Rebels Creed (specifically L – Leadership – constantly challenge the status quo) to surprise the competition. “I think we would be crazy to think we can play the same way as everyone else and be successful.” Macqueen said. “We have to look at new ways of doing things and do it in our own way to give ourselves a competitive advantage.”

One competitive advantage the Rebels have already is Melbourne’s world-renowned sporting passion. From the outset, the Rebels have looked to compliment what the AFL and the city’s other sporting codes already offer. The Rebels will be Melbourne’s only truly international representative and will fly the flag for the city on a world stage.

Macqueen is aware of the responsibility this creates for his fledgling outfit but is convinced the group of players and coaches he has assembled can deliver.

“This team wants to represent Melbourne and everything that Melbourne holds. Hopefully that means it will be a team that challenges the status quo. A team that has pride in representing Melbourne. I hope they’re the sort of values that someone living in Melbourne considering going to a game of rugby would want to see.”

As the Rebels embark on a daunting debut season in Super Rugby they can do so confident of their preparation and assured of their place in Melbourne’s sporting landscape. Under the stewardship of Rod Macqueen, the Rebels have transformed from an idea to a culture. Macqueen will not rest though until that culture is successful on the park and is an accurate demonstration of the Rebel Creed.

Head Coach Rod Macqueen, the Rebel-rouser, has built solid foundations. It is now up to all Rebels to honour the pledge and do justice to Melbourne’s proud sporting heritage.

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

Have they picked the Rebels team to play Tonga this weekend yet?

 

[stoff]

It is going to be pretty much everyone except Mortlock, Freier, Gerrard, Huxley and Rooney. Apparently they will start the first half with one team, and then use a different combination for the second half.

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

Does this include Academy boys?

 

[RugbyFuture]

Exciting build up for the whole australian rugby community.

 

[stoff]

Does this include Academy boys?

I believe some, but the only one that has really been publicised so far is Chris Slade who has been playing Dewar Shield for the last few years. The news has been pretty thin on the ground so far. Might need bluesrecovery to chime in here, because he seems to have the best info re: the Rebels of posters on this forum.

 

[en_force_er]

I believe some, but the only one that has really been publicised so far is Chris Slade who has been playing Dewar Shield for the last few years. The news has been pretty thin on the ground so far. Might need bluesrecovery to chime in here, because he seems to have the best info re: the Rebels of posters on this forum.

He came early last season, but not at the start.

Perhaps he had been in Victoria for longer though.

 

[blues recovery]

As well as Chris Slade Dan Kelly, Toby Browne from Randwick and Alex Rocabaro will be playing on Saturday. Bit thin on the ground in the backline without Mortlock,Gerrard, Rooney, Huxley and Cordingly for this game.

 

[stoff]

He came early last season, but not at the start.

Perhaps he had been in Victoria for longer though.

Fair enough. Had only been going on the papers as I haven't played or been involved in Rugby down here since about 1999.

Got my Rebs jersey this arvo. Replica means it is replica in shape also. I fill out the middle bit, but the top and waist are sadly lacking.

en_force_er - are you part of, or going to be with the Rebel Army on Saturday? I am going to head down the south end and meet the RA crew (been to busy to head to any meetings).

 

[Spectator101]

The trial game refers to Rebels playing Tonga but it is actually Tonga A squad. Should be a good game.

 

[en_force_er]

Fair enough. Had only been going on the papers as I haven't played or been involved in Rugby down here since about 1999.
If you have the time you should get back involved, the club scene isn't the rabble it once was and will become increasingly important in the wider Rebels set-up.

Got my Rebs jersey this arvo. Replica means it is replica in shape also. I fill out the middle bit, but the top and waist are sadly lacking.
Fun, looks like it'll be one of those situations where I choose between the correct height or the correct girth.

en_force_er - are you part of, or going to be with the Rebel Army on Saturday? I am going to head down the south end and meet the RA crew (been to busy to head to any meetings).
Probably not, I prefer to watch the game quietly with someone who knows the game or a mate (a precious few people tick both these boxes), plus I prefer a panoramic view then the deadball line. Love what those blokes are doing for Vic rugby though!

 

[Gagger]

Can't read your article Newter, no bolding.

 

[blues recovery]

Hot of the press Rebels teams for tomorrow night.

First Half Second Half
Sommerville Henderson
Robinson Tessman
Blake Weekes
Pyle Oneill
Campbell Byrnes
Macdonald Saffy
Lipman Chamberlain
Delve Davidson
Phibbs Kingi
Cipriani Hilgendorf
Betham Taumoepeau
Mitchell Vuna
Taumoepeau Mitchell
Du Plessis Du Plessis
Slade Betham


Dont read anything into it evenly split

 

[RugbyFuture]

wheres cordingley?