Melbourne Rebels 2011

[en_force_er]

I'm sure they're great players Lee but they certainly look a bit rolly-polly for professional athletes.

At this point the next thing I'm interested in is seeing how to Axemen fit into the Rebels' set-up.

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

Thanks for the write up.

Will Vuna (Tonga) and Taumoepeau (samoa?) make themselves available for world cup selection?

I know Vuna played for tonga in the league world cup.

They are both Tongans

 

[Lee Grant]

I'm sure they're great players Lee but they certainly look a bit rolly-polly for professional athletes.

You could be right but let's wait and see.

 

[en_force_er]

You could be right but let's wait and see.

Nothing that can't be rectified obviously.

 

[Moses]

Lee, the Rebel Army commenter on Facebook identified the blokes in white as "Academy boys"
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=489518358180&set=a.489517408180.261689.229451863180

 

[Lee Grant]

Thanks Moses - I missed that. Then the 2nd bloke asked if there is a list of academy players; so we aren't the only ones who want to know who they are. Maybe these are the academy wannabies and they haven't finalised that group yet - or what tier they will be in.

I wrote yonks ago on this thread - or maybe it was the original Melbourne thread - that the selection of the tier one Academy players would be scarcely less important than the selection of the Super players. The reason was that there will be many foreigners leaving in the next couple of years and some likely after 2011, though the length of some of the foreign contracts are unclear. Therefore the tier one Melbourne Academy players may be closer to playing in Super rugby than a fellow being developed elsewhere.

Geez - look at the legs on Ruan Smith the fellow in the photo who looks like he is finishing off a pie. I haven't seen him for about 3½ years when he was 17 but he was a huge unit then yet he was light on his feet and had deft hands and loved running over folks.

PB mentioned that his only problem was between the ears but that never disqualified anybody from being a successful prop in Oz rugby.

PB if you read this: how much of Ruan did you you see last year playing for the WP U/21s? Did you think then he was on track to be a Super player in the RSA or did you think he was too big?

 

[blues recovery]

The Melbourne Rebels have no official academy. The organisation has a wider training group that includes the Sydney based players mentioned before on this thread and an elite training group of the best players from the Melb club competition. Unlike the other franchises the Rebels can not contract these players to academy contracts nor receives any funding from the ARU to pay for the Academy. These players are effectively invited to train and play the odd trial with no contractural obligation from the player that binds him to the Rebels and the Rebels pay for the program. A disgraceful inequity, one of many the Rebels face from the friendly ARU. The Smith brothers are in this program.

 

[en_force_er]

The Melbourne Rebels have no official academy. The organisation has a wider training group that includes the Sydney based players mentioned before on this thread and an elite training group of the best players from the Melb club competition. Unlike the other franchises the Rebels can not contract these players to academy contracts nor receives any funding from the ARU to pay for the Academy. These players are effectively invited to train and play the odd trial with no contractural obligation from the player that binds him to the Rebels and the Rebels pay for the program. A disgraceful inequity, one of many the Rebels face from the friendly ARU. The Smith brothers are in this program.

That seems ridiculous to me. Sure, the Rebels are a privet entity but they are a sterling opportunity to develop even more quality players and need to be treated as such.

As privet entity they should obviously be treated differently but within reason.

Let's hope they don't turn into Connacht rugby, ick.

 

[Moses]

Thanks Moses - I missed that. Then the 2nd bloke asked if there is a list of academy players; so we aren't the only ones who want to know who they are. Maybe these are the academy wannabies and they haven't finalised that group yet - or what tier they will be in.

The 2nd bloke is me, so perhaps we are the only ones

 

[Lee Grant]

Unlike the other franchises the Rebels can not contract these players to academy contracts Why - because of financial constraints only?

... nor receives any funding from the ARU to pay for the Academy. I suppose that all the other franchises have to fund their own academies but one could have expected the ARU to make an exception during a couple of years of start-up at the Rebels.

Whatever - it sucks. The establishment of a pro academy at the Rebels will underwrite their medium term success. When the foreigners leave domestic players have to be prepared so they can step up. The alternative is to nab all replacement domestic players from other rugby jurisdictions. Encouraging the Rebels to get a head start in developing replacement players would have seemed to be something better for Oz rugby.

As for the Smith brothers: I've never seen JP play and haven't seen Ruan since he was at school. But if they piss off back to the RSA for lack of interest here it will be a bizarre happening - though maybe we have more elite 21 y.o. props than I think in the country.

 

[blues recovery]

Lee
The position is the ARU totally fund all other academies. It refuses to fund a Rebels academy and openly discourages the Rebels from running any kind of development program and also frowns on the Rebels b team concept. The organisation is expected to just pick up players out of the Sydney and Brisbane comps if it runs into injury issues during the season. Players that would have had no exposure to either the culture of the organisation or the playing and coaching style of the team. This is unacceptable so the Rebels runs its own program contray to ARU wishes. The REbels are unable to contract these players as not having an ARU funded Academy there is no allowance under the CBA to do so.

 

[PaarlBok]

PB mentioned that his only problem was between the ears but that never disqualified anybody from being a successful prop in Oz rugby.

PB if you read this: how much of Ruan did you you see last year playing for the WP U/21s? Did you think then he was on track to be a Super player in the RSA or did you think he was too big?

Ruaan could still play WP U21 this year. Look pretty strong in the scrums in the matches I watch him. JP did not made the usual Paarl Gym first XV but look like he sure is a good talent aswell. Both are big units and sure have a lot of ball sense. The good thing about them and JP du Plessis is that they are just as good cricketers. So maybe if they dont make it in rugby, all three can easily change to cricket. Trust me that Smith fatties can bliksem a cricket cherry many a mile. Back on rugby tho I think Ruaan had the high way to SA U20 and has been invited last year but did not made the final squad. Not sure what happen if it was a lack of commitment, injury or whatever.

 

[Lee Grant]

The position is the ARU totally fund all other academies. It refuses to fund a Rebels academy and openly discourages the Rebels from running any kind of development program and also frowns on the Rebels b team concept.

Farque - if you had an ARU hat on what would be the rationale for such a policy? Anybody? I must be missing something.

 

[en_force_er]

Farque - if you had an ARU hat on what would be the rationale for such a policy? Anybody? I must be missing something.

Lack of funds.

Presumably part of the pitch for the Rebels was the basis that it would be a privet entity.

 

[RugbyFuture]

Remember there was a whole argument about it at the start of the bidding process

 

[Lee Grant]

I knew the private entity bit but never appreciated that other academies got ARU funding but the private team wouldn't.

Ruaan could still play WP U21 this year. Yeah, the twins turn 21 next week

I think Ruaan had the high way to SA U20 and has been invited last year but did not made the final squad. Not sure what happen if it was a lack of commitment, injury or whatever. He was in the training squad for the IRB tournament but couldn't be considered because of injury.

 

[TOCC]

HE official line from both clubs is there's no war for the hearts, minds and cash of Melbourne's rugby lovers.

But a late start from Storm officials has put the NRL club behind the Super 15s Rebels on early points.

Storm chief executive Ron Gauci remains adamant his club, established over a decade, would pass the record 9500 members signed last year despite memberships not being available until the end of this month.

Gauci said the club's new administration had taken extra time to understand its members' needs.

The Rebels, meanwhile, have close to 6000 members already and attracted a crowd in excess of 8000 to last weekend's trial win over Tonga.

All membership information was taken by interested fans who purchased most available Rebels merchandise, too.

The Rebels will also begin a TV advertising blitzkrieg this Sunday, with the Storm, who begin their season in March, to start its campaign closer to February.

Conspiracy theorists suggest some Storm fans are just rugby fans who have been getting a fix through league and would jump ship to the Rebels.

But Gauci remains confident his club could maintain, and increase, its standing in Melbourne.

"Our surveys tell us we've got 800,000 supporters out there ... which puts us up there in the best size of any club of any code," he said.

"With the passion generated last year and the number of people who see where we are going as a club, I would be disappointed if we didn't have a net increase on the close to 10,000 members from last year.

"I am comfortable with the timing of our release but, beyond this year, I would be disappointed if we can't get our membership packages out much, much sooner.

"(The Rebels) have their numbers but the feedback we are getting is that there are plenty of Storm members who want to sign up."

Rebels chief executive Ross Oakley said the new club had increased membership predictions to 11,500 after the early take-up.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/r...-melbourne-storm/story-e6frfgkf-1225989826242

 

[en_force_er]

I think the Storm people are idiots if they are hoping for record memberships the year the Rebels open-up.

There is surely at least a few fans that will jump ship, perhaps not many but a few. To be aiming for a record the year your biggest rival opens and the year after your clubs reputation was destroyed is ludicrous.

 

[TOCC]

a big event like the Melbourne Storm scandal last year can do funny things to unite and bring in extra fans, i think it would be funny if the Rebels in there inaugural season had more members then the Storm record

 

[stoff]

Be interesting to see how the numbers end up, but I'm going with the Rebels for slight win. I think in places there is still a bit of stink about the Storm, and that will see them drop a few members this year. Based on that it seems mad that they are not getting their advertising going as early as the Rebels. There is a very small window of oppurtunity between when people get back to work, and the AFL publicity machine winds up in all its might. The Rebels seem to be sliding into this gap, and have the Crusaders game to promote the week before the AFL NAB cup starts. I reckon Harold will have found us some pretty prime advertising slots as well.