Melbourne Rebels 2024

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Interesting quip from Kellaway’s interview on KOKO which might give a bit of insight into the playing group’s sentiment (paraphrased) -

Prof: “Have you been payed?”
Kellaway: “Yes, otherwise I wouldn’t be playing!”

He did also mention the staff have been been great at separating the players from ‘the noise’, but I’m sure there’s only so much that can be avoided.

Not saying you're surprised by it but anyone thinking this isn't the right attitude or whatever is one of the Rugby fans still thinking like it's an amateur endeavour.

It is a job. How many on here would go to work if they weren't properly paid their entitlement? Sure, there are ways to approach it and hopefully this has been done prior to downing tools but they are also dealing with uncertainty around the future of their employer as well(shared issue between RA, Rebels). This would leave you less flexible in the resolution process.

 

[SouthernX]

Filipo should play for the West Bulldogs this weekend.

he’d just be playing in the rebels development side.

btw Nick Jooste sucks. It’s time to give David Vaihu his shot in the centres

 

[LeCheese]

Not saying you're surprised by it but anyone thinking this isn't the right attitude or whatever is one of the Rugby fans still thinking like it's an amateur endeavour.

It is a job. How many on here would go to work if they weren't properly paid their entitlement? Sure, there are ways to approach it and hopefully this has been done prior to downing tools but they are also dealing with uncertainty around the future of their employer as well(shared issue between RA, Rebels). This would leave you less flexible in the resolution process.

Yep, I agree with it - just thought the timing was funny given some comments about Daugunu earlier in the week

 

[Dctarget]

Fuck this sucks. I can't see how this season doesn't blow out to more regular 50+ losses.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I fear when it happens it'll fall off a cliff. Hope they prove everyone wrong but I just don't see how the outside noise and uncertainty won't take away even the smallest margins that decide games at a Pro level.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I noticed that one of the named liquidators for the Rebels quit today according to ASIC. Not sure what to make of that.

There was a routine ASIC meeting scheduled for Monday where these sort of things would be dealt with officially.

Is it just how it's done? Send in the big dogs to sort it out at the start, and then lower cost option to see it through.

 

[Braveheart81]

I don’t want to be a stick in the mud but if he was signed up last December, and told to submit his moving fees , and the directors knew they couldn’t pay up then they were trading while insolvent - I mean they had those notices from the ato in late November and a host of other bills they obviously weren’t planning to pay in December or anytime soon

Proving that directors were knowingly trading while insolvent is notoriously difficult.

Not being able to pay your ATO debts in full doesn't make you insolvent. They can constantly be renegotiated and delayed.

Likewise, Daugunu's relocation fee doesn't become payable until some time after he provided them with the invoice(s) for reimbursement.

They had the expectation (whether correct or not) that further funds were going to flow from Rugby Australia.

 

[Wilson]

I don’t want to be a stick in the mud but if he was signed up last December, and told to submit his moving fees , and the directors knew they couldn’t pay up then they were trading while insolvent - I mean they had those notices from the ato in late November and a host of other bills they obviously weren’t planning to pay in December or anytime soon

Daugunu was signed up in June last year I think, so probably not quite that bad. Pretty terrible from his perspective though - signed up to move down on a promise of opportunity and all the good things to come, only to find out on arrival that the organisation is $20 million in the hole and on the brink of collapse, can't even cover what they've promised and probably won't be around for the length of your original contract. They probably offered him more than what the Reds were willing to at that stage, but what sort of offers did he knock back from overseas or the other super sides to go to Melbourne?

 

[Tex]

Yep you'd be forgiven for walking tbh. I'm pretty disinterested in the club by now, if I'm honest. Burnt so many Fridays at AAMI Park over the last decade, just don't have much more to give.

As an aside I'm reading Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential at the moment and he regularly talks about the 'stench of death' of a failing restaurant. All the staff know it's going to shit. Melbourne Rebels is a failing club, just moments from the chop.

 

[Derpus]

Daugunu was signed up in June last year I think, so probably not quite that bad. Pretty terrible from his perspective though - signed up to move down on a promise of opportunity and all the good things to come, only to find out on arrival that the organisation is $20 million in the hole and on the brink of collapse, can't even cover what they've promised and probably won't be around for the length of your original contract. They probably offered him more than what the Reds were willing to at that stage, but what sort of offers did he knock back from overseas or the other super sides to go to Melbourne?

Yeah that would be super mega balls. His fault, though, for thinking joining the Rebels was ever going to be anything other than a terrible idea.

 

[Wilson]

Yeah that would be super mega balls. His fault, though, for thinking joining the Rebels was ever going to be anything other than a terrible idea.

To some degree - he took a punt and it hasn't paid off, but there's got to be a fair bit of trust earned by seeing them sign up guys like Tupou and Salakaia-Loto with some amount of RA backing. For the guys internal to the Rebels like Stiles to have sold him on a bullshit dream when the books were so bloody dire is where a lot of the fault has to lie.

 

[PhilClinton]

As an aside I'm reading Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential at the moment and he regularly talks about the 'stench of death' of a failing restaurant. All the staff know it's going to shit. Melbourne Rebels is a failing club, just moments from the chop.

Such a good book. I have two of his books as audiobooks and he narrates them - can't recommend highly enough.

 

[Wilson]

Such a good book. I have two of his books as audiobooks and he narrates them - can't recommend highly enough.

Roadrunner was heartbreaking, if a bit off putting at times with the AI narration.

 

[dillyboy]

Probably already posted so sorry if I've missed it.

Looks like more sharks are circling....

Leinster have approached the Melbourne Rebels about signing Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou next season

Reports coming out of Australia this morning suggest that Leinster have made a play to sign Australian International tighthead prop Taniela Tupou for ...

www.ultimaterugby.com

 

[Highlander35]

I would be interested to see exactly what control the MRRU administrators have over the ability to make arrangements for a player presumably receiving a national top up as part of his contract, and hence (at least in a way) dual employed.

 

[Ballboy]

Probably already posted so sorry if I've missed it.

Looks like more sharks are circling....

Leinster have approached the Melbourne Rebels about signing Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou next season

Reports coming out of Australia this morning suggest that Leinster have made a play to sign Australian International tighthead prop Taniela Tupou for ...

www.ultimaterugby.com

TT would not be the first Rebel i would sign ,, value for money not there , he is a bit injury prone ( expected for someone his size ) and seems to struggle to be at his best for 80 mins ,, very nice fellow from all reports though

 

[Strewthcobber]

I would be interested to see exactly what control the MRRU administrators have over the ability to make arrangements for a player presumably receiving a national top up as part of his contract, and hence (at least in a way) dual employed.

Every Australian Super Rugby player is in a three-way contract, even those not on a top-up, but at the moment it'd be the administrator + RA + Player, wouldn't it? MRRU have no role

 

[Strewthcobber]

TT would not be the first Rebel i would sign ,, value for money not there , he is a bit injury prone ( expected for someone his size ) and seems to struggle to be at his best for 80 mins ,, very nice fellow from all reports though

What if you were a provincial Irish rugby club seeking to replace your marquee international front rower who is moving to France?

 

[Ignoto]

he is a bit injury prone ( expected for someone his size )

He is?

2023 is a furphy year due to the rush back from an Achilles and then having his ribs crushed by a knee. He was always going to be under conditioned at the RWC.

He had some niggles in 2022 but I don't recall him missing more than a game or two in Super Rugby.

 

[Highlander35]

Every Australian Super Rugby player is in a three-way contract, even those not on a top-up, but at the moment it'd be the administrator + RA + Player, wouldn't it? MRRU have no role

MRRU was my shorthand for "whoever's controlling the business outside of Rugby Australia" rather than necessarily the former governance team.