Melbourne Rebels 2024

[SouthernX]

None of that makes sense it's just classic banging a square peg into a round hold and then wondering why it all goes belly up. After 20 years they have learnt basically nothing.

The biggest market ever available to the RA is its own domestic market, but for 20 years now they have been to fucking stupid to recognize that fact, hence the position they are now in.

disagree - the game won’t survive without the kiwis!

if you remove the trans Tasman rivalries your left with either a club rugby on steroids/5 team super rugby AU (lame) or rebirthed NRC.

none of those business models are better than super rugby in its current format.

Just need to improve on what we currently have.

 

[Steve_Grey]

disagree - the game won’t survive without the kiwis!

if you remove the trans Tasman rivalries your left with either a club rugby on steroids/5 team super rugby AU (lame) or rebirthed NRC.

none of those business models are better than super rugby in its current format.

Just need to improve on what we currently have.

Disagree again - IMO you don't need the Kiwis in a dedicated system; ditch Super Rugby - you need a competitive domestic Comp [not QPL or Shute Shield - leave that as it is for Colts and 2nd Tier]. Then add [in parallel] a Cross Country Comp [see below].

An idea has been floated is for a National/Semi-Regional Comp to leverage the regional tribialism [North/South/East/West in NSW for example] - people find it difficult to simply get behind NSW as a whole tribally, but they are very passionate about their sub-regions.

Run that in parallel [with suitable gaps in the domestic Comp schedule], and play some form of Oceania Comp [like the European Championship] with NZ/Fiji/Pacifica/[maybe Japan] - not all teams play each other round robin, but you never [initially until finals time] play teams in your own country.

I am not saying the European Championship is perfect, but the Clubs love it - it is a break from domestic games, and gives the teams the diversity of challenge that is required to develop.

Just a thought......

 

[hoggy]

disagree - the game won’t survive without the kiwis!

if you remove the trans Tasman rivalries your left with either a club rugby on steroids/5 team super rugby AU (lame) or rebirthed NRC.

none of those business models are better than super rugby in its current format.

Just need to improve on what we currently have.

The game won't survive without the Kiwis, why

Is that because they are just to weak by themselves, yet the games whole growth strategy here is to be regularly number one/two in the world for the game to grow within Australia, yet we won't survive without the Kiwis.

Maybe about time the game here grows a set of balls.

What bloody Trans Tasman rivalry, name a Trans Tasman rival with the Rebels.

Better than Super Rugby in its current form, well the Rebels won't exist next year.
Those business models do work, its called reality, Super Rugby is bankrupt ????

 

[SouthernX]

Guess we all have a difference of opinion going forward for super rugby.

Super rugby au was the lamest thing I’ve ever watched on tv. 5 team comp with a 3 team playoffs

If super rugby dies then all our good players go offshore and there won’t be professional rugby left in this country.

yes we need the kiwis (now where’s my mountain to go die on. My opinion won’t be swayed)

 

[Steve_Grey]

Guess we all have a difference of opinion going forward for super rugby.

Super rugby au was the lamest thing I’ve ever watched on tv. 5 team comp with a 3 team playoffs

If super rugby dies then all our good players go offshore and there won’t be professional rugby left in this country.

yes we need the kiwis (now where’s my mountain to go die on. My opinion won’t be swayed)

I think you are right - Australia can't afford to pay what [some] players deserve. Let them ply their trade overseas, and run a semi-pro Comp domestically in Australia. Cross border competition is very important, but it doesn't have to be in a Super Rugby Structure - that is dead.

 

[dru]

Guess we all have a difference of opinion going forward for super rugby.

Super rugby au was the lamest thing I’ve ever watched on tv. 5 team comp with a 3 team playoffs

If super rugby dies then all our good players go offshore and there won’t be professional rugby left in this country.

yes we need the kiwis (now where’s my mountain to go die on. My opinion won’t be swayed)

That seems a daft position. Either way it is off-topic so I'll leave it alone.

 

[TheHaydog]

Unsure if it's been mentioned here or not. The Rebels have quite a good schedule, especially in the first half of the season.

First 4: Brumbies (H), Force (H), Moana (A), Reds (H)
Second 4: Canes (A), Tahs (A), Drua (H), Highlanders (H)
Third 4: Bye, Crusaders (A), Blues (H), Reds (A)
Final 3: Chiefs (H), Brumbies (A), Drua (A)

 

[TSR]

I absolutely love reds fans for blaming the rebels for a mass exodus from their joint

I’ve read back through the comments. I’m genuinely intrigued as to which comment(s) you are referring to here. I can’t see any Reds fan claiming that (albeit only from a quick scan).

 

[LevitatingSocks]

The Vegas venture is heading for a slow moving train wreck for the NRL.

Stadium ticket sales currently at about 50%. it’s a 5 year deal to. What if first year is a fizzer and they don’t make any significant in roads? Each team is forking out about 400k to use travel/training facility week leading up to event.

rugby has a better approach to growing the game. That test match in San Diego between all blacks vs Fiji will have more reach because you are showcasing 2 of the top 8 rugby teams in the world where as NRL is sending 4 of the top 16 teams in Australia.

a Hawaiin based super rugby team that may play some games in California is a lot better strategy then the NRL season opener because it allows Americans to have their own team.

If you want an American team stick it in LA, not Hawaii. You're eating the timezone difference and flight costs regardless, might as well go for a place where there might actually be revenue.

Hawaii is where athletic ventures go to die due to poor infrastructure, lack of money, isolation from the mainland, and general lack of interest in sport. The University of Hawaii's football team can't even get their stadium sorted.

 

[swingpass]

were the Rebels supposed to have a trial v Drua today ?

 

[Wilson]

were the Rebels supposed to have a trial v Drua today ?

Pretty sure it's next weekend, on the 16th

 

[KevinO]

So I was just reading some of the articles I missed in the last few days, salary cap is 5.5 million and clubs have to spend 90% of the Cap under the CBA. That's 4.9 million and RA only provides 3.9 per club since COVID, so that's a million a season clubs are behind before a match is even played. No wonder all clubs are not happy

 

[RugbyReg]

So I was just reading some of the articles I missed in the last few days, salary cap is 5.5 million and clubs have to spend 90% of the Cap under the CBA. That's 4.9 million and RA only provides 3.9 per club since COVID, so that's a million a season clubs are behind before a match is even played. No wonder all clubs are not happy

But if the money isn’t there what is RA meant to do? RUPA should be standing up a little on this I reckon.

 

[KevinO]

But if the money isn’t there what is RA meant to do? RUPA should be standing up a little on this I reckon.

Then they need to be talking to RUPA and the clubs and coming to an agreement that works for everyone, this is where RA is letting everyone down.

 

[Rebel man]

gambling is on the nose in this country.

I wouldn’t be suprised after next federal election if there’s a huge crackdown on pokies and sports gambling. It’s the one thing I am super proud about rugby union is that we don’t rip off our fanbase by having large pokie rooms in our clubhouse.

AFL & NRL will take a huge hit if the gambling gravy train comes to a screeching halt

lol, gambling will be fine. It will never be banned. Rugby doesn’t take a moral objection to gambling, there is just no interest from the gambling companies in Aus for Rugby

 

[Rebel man]

But if the money isn’t there what is RA meant to do? RUPA should be standing up a little on this I reckon.

Rugby Aus got 8m in funding of the NZRU to reinstate the funding to the clubs and never did

 

[RugbyReg]

Rugby Aus got 8m in funding of the NZRU to reinstate the funding to the clubs and never did

Sorry I don’t understand what you are saying? NZRU gave them money to give to the Oz teams?

 

[PhilClinton]

lol, gambling will be fine. It will never be banned. Rugby doesn’t take a moral objection to gambling, there is just no interest from the gambling companies in Aus for Rugby

Could be wrong but I thought Rugby deliberately doesn’t provide gambling companies the same access as NRL and AFL?

It’s only the last year they even had same game multies available and even then the markets were tiny compared to the others. I had heard it was due to the agreement with RA about that stuff but not sure if true.

 

[Wilson]

Rugby Aus got 8m in funding of the NZRU to reinstate the funding to the clubs and never did

Are getting, they haven't necessarily received any of it yet. The money is paid in quarterly instalments, starting this year but with the first payment not due until the end of March. While I agree the bulk of that money should flow through to the super sides it has nothing to do with the Rebels current debt.

“The Joint Venture parties agreed that the revenue share model for the completion for 2024 and 2025 is received from the host broadcasters which included additional payments to RA which are as follows;
“2024: NZD $8.75 million paid in quarterly instalments by 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December 2024; and
“2025: NZD $8.75 million paid in quarterly instalments by 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December 2025.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/leaked-melbourne-rebels-documents-claim-rugby-australia-wanted-to-destroy-super-rugby-by-underfunding-competition/news-story/3bd56e6410852e70a5faefae3b9cb96a?amp

 

[SouthernX]

Could be wrong but I thought Rugby deliberately doesn’t provide gambling companies the same access as NRL and AFL?

It’s only the last year they even had same game multies available and even then the markets were tiny compared to the others. I had heard it was due to the agreement with RA about that stuff but not sure if true.

This is probably for another thread but I’m pretty sure the sporting codes have no juristriction over gambling companies setting lines on their events.

the idea of “gambling dollars” just means more interest in the sport equates to better chance of increased tv deal (which Vlandys might be caught out now because of this impending Fox-Disney-time Warner streaming deal)

my argument (off topic) is that the NRL/AFL could be in trouble with jersey sponsorships. if it gambling advertisement gets banned - Manly will need a New Jersey sponsor.

honestly bring back the TAB store fronts or betting at pubs. The gambling apps whilst convenient are doing a lot of damage to our society.