Melbourne Rebels 2024

[Tex]

I certainly feel for Rebels fans and understand the anger and not wishing to support the national side. These are all emotions I felt when the Force were cut. I didn't really come back into the fold until Super Rugby-AU, so I get it.

All the best if this is the end (and I hope it's not).

Was thinking this morning that if we do fold, that is hope that the cream of the crop go West. Seems fair after Wessels and Coleman and co came to us.

 

[5StarStu]

Rebels only formed around 2009 didn't they?

Were you a rugby fan pre-Rebels?

2011 but the first version was in the ARC in 2007.

Yes I was - I grew up with the game and was a fan of the Brumbies as a kid, but the Rebels are my team and my main connection to the game since I stopped playing. That won’t be replaced by RA just throwing us a national team game every year.

 

[Dan54]

It’s almost on par now. With more and more money getting poured in by the NRL. Known friends who’s kids have made the switch

Ok mate, I have to realise they are Australian, so what can you expect huh??

 

[RugbyReg]

LClassic moment after the Wallaroos game, I was in the weary room, the RA representative (brave of him to be there tbh) got up to make a speech to a n already frosty crowd…..,and congratulated the Jillaroos for their performance!!!! Crowd booed, he scarpered after a few empty words.

he had one job

Who was it?

Wallaroos played well their first half. Dire in the 2nd.

 

[Mick The Munch]

Who was it?

Wallaroos played well their first half. Dire in the 2nd.

Didn’t get the name, but was English ….Chief something

 

[Crashy]

Who was it?

Wallaroos played well their first half. Dire in the 2nd.

Are you fucking serious? The dumb fluffybunny didnt even know the name of our national team?
That'll do me.

 

[oztimmay]

Are you fucking serious? The dumb fluffybunny didnt even know the name of our national team?
That'll do me.

It’s was the COO. Also called the match a battle between 4th and 6th, not mentioning the Rebels name once.

meanwhile, Phil and Dan were over in Perth on Saturday night watching the Force va Tahs match. Appreantly in the company of AF.

 

[kiap]

Didn’t get the name, but was English ….Chief something

This chap?

 

[Mick The Munch]

No

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

It’s was the COO. Also called the match a battle between 4th and 6th, not mentioning the Rebels name once.

meanwhile, Phil and Dan were over in Perth on Saturday night watching the Force va Tahs match. Appreantly in the company of AF.

PWaugh was definitely at the game here in Perth last night

 

[oztimmay]

Rebels could drop Rugby Australia lawsuit threat if it backs plan to save club

The change of tack could signal a major development in the negotiations between the consortium attempting to rescue the Melbourne Rebels and the sport’s governing body.

www.theage.com.au

positive signs.

 

[dru]

Rebels could drop Rugby Australia lawsuit threat if it backs plan to save club

The change of tack could signal a major development in the negotiations between the consortium attempting to rescue the Melbourne Rebels and the sport’s governing body.

www.theage.com.au

positive signs.

Talk about an exercise in the bleeding obvious. Too little too late by me. What do the bone fides sound like? Obviously the Age article is blocked.

 

[oztimmay]

Talk about an exercise in the bleeding obvious. Too little too late by me. What do the bone fides sound like? Obviously the Age article is blocked.

From the article, quoting Leigh Clifford.

“I asked [Rugby Australia chief executive] Phil Waugh at a meeting, ‘If we can come up with a viable proposal for the Rebels in 2025, will you support it?’ And I’d have to say that he looked around a bit, but he agreed, yes, he would. Now we want to see that case brought forward.”

 

[Strewthcobber]

I'm plucking some of the less positive bits out of the article here, but there has to be at least some amber flags around this......

Business heavyweight Leigh Clifford says new investors are willing to treat legal threats against Rugby Australia as a “last resort option”

The consortium has engaged advisory firm KordaMentha to prepare a lengthy document of several hundred pages detailing the plan to build and maintain a club that is headquartered in Tarneit.

“We hope to have that to Rugby Australia in the next day or so,” Clifford said. “It’s very comprehensive.”

Clifford declined to comment about any discussions between the consortium members and the Tax Office. The seven Rebels directors are engaging with the administrators to have the $11.6 million tax debt they may be personally liable for waived.

He said former Melbourne Rebels president Paul Docherty, who has been mired in business troubles since late last year, had been providing strategic assistance to the consortium as it worked on its new plans.

Clifford said the consortium had already attracted non-binding interest from two US private equity firms and the Australian arm of a British investment house in investing in the overall precinct plan.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

“I asked [Rugby Australia chief executive] Phil Waugh at a meeting, ‘If we can come up with a viable proposal for the Rebels in 2025, will you support it?’ And I’d have to say that he looked around a bit, but he agreed, yes, he would. Now we want to see that case brought forward.”

That's the key part. It seems what we have heard about plans at the moment they're still in the hopeful & wishful category. Of course Waugh or any rational person will support a viable proposal.

There's a lot of "may, non-binding" going around.

Also, why is Docherty being engaged in the process? Even if he wants to help you got to tell him to beat it for a while. Ever read something with a certain persons name on it and you just roll your eyes and dismiss it? He's got to fall into that.

 

[RugbyReg]

From the article, quoting Leigh Clifford. ‘If we can come up with a viable proposal for the Rebels in 2025, will you support it?’

I would hope they have longer term ambitions of viability then just next year

 

[oztimmay]

I would hope they have longer term ambitions of viability then just next year

Good point. Also, from the article:

Clifford, who is heading a consortium to rescue the Melbourne Rebels, has called on Rugby Australia to put aside past differences with the club and back a new six-year plan that will result in the club continuing as a viable operation until at least 2030.

 

[Dctarget]

Short of Twiggy 2.0, RA aren't going to budge.

 

[Rebel man]

I would hope they have longer term ambitions of viability then just next year

I take it you failed to read the article than champ

 

[Highlander35]

I remain skeptical overall and hope there are real plans being cooked up that have a likelihood of succeeding, and it's not just a pie in the sky, any port in a storm, directors throwing all the shit at RA thing dragging this out.

However, there's very little doubt that this Consortium does have in an interest (a deeply self serving one, but a sincere one nonetheless) in doing everything they can to make that area across Wyndham City & Melton City Councils somewhere people want to live, work and travel to for entertainment, and we can be a part of that. If there is genuinely money there that gets us to RWC, I hope they're given a shot at taking us through rather than the unceremonious dumping that seems to be on the cards.