Melbourne Rebels 2024

[SouthernX]

I mean Melbourne is a great place to live (I’d rather live there then shithole Sydney)

The brand and Beale might of wanted to be rebels so the wallaby top up is kind of moot.

Does anyone want to shed light on all the real estate RA/Tahs deals last couple of years… fancy new HQ (do the tahs use that?) fancy new training facility for tahs (do any of the other RA high performance teams have access to it)

The rebels don’t even have a clubhouse, they use a training paddock and probably meet at a coffee shop to talk about strategy.

Seems like RA pours millions into NSW while the rest of the country cries fouls about the bias spending in NSW.

 

[Adam84]

lol the Tahs debt was reported in the Australian to be more than RA anticipated and north of 5m and the Tahs debt isn’t being felt with by them it’s just getting paid off by the game

Reported by who though…

Waratahs have published independently audited financial reports each year, available publicly(unlike the rebels). It would have required a $9million loss in 2023 for the Tahs to be $5million in debt.

 

[KiwiM]

Two things can be true

Super Rugby as a whole has been woefully managed by NZR and RA for the last decade plus. Only now are there some positive signs and it could be too little too late.

The Rebels specifically have been awfully managed to have debt well beyond anyone else.

I hope the idea of a RA Melb Super team comes to fruition - AAMI is a great place to watch rugby and there is a fanbase to be had if it is run properly.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Just like all the other clubs should be grateful for all the bailouts they have got.

Agreed. They get bailed out of their own poor management (which is what $20M debt is…..)

 

[Slim 293]

I mean Melbourne is a great place to live (I’d rather live there then shithole Sydney)

The brand and Beale might of wanted to be rebels so the wallaby top up is kind of moot.

Does anyone want to shed light on all the real estate RA/Tahs deals last couple of years… fancy new HQ (do the tahs use that?) fancy new training facility for tahs (do any of the other RA high performance teams have access to it)

The rebels don’t even have a clubhouse, they use a training paddock and probably meet at a coffee shop to talk about strategy.

Seems like RA pours millions into NSW while the rest of the country cries fouls about the bias spending in NSW.

I probably should've posted a photo of the 2019 roster...

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Two things can be true

Super Rugby as a whole has been woefully managed by NZR and RA for the last decade plus. Only now are there some positive signs and it could be too little too late.

The Rebels specifically have been awfully managed to have debt well beyond anyone else.

I hope the idea of a RA Melb Super team comes to fruition - AAMI is a great place to watch rugby and there is a fanbase to be had if it is run properly.

Completely agree

poor management of both is annoying but the baby out with the bath water talk of “I’ll never watch union again!”
Give me a spell

 

[Slim 293]

How is it that it's taken this long for Baden Stephenson to be turfed?

And only because RA has taken over.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I mean Melbourne is a great place to live (I’d rather live there then shithole Sydney)

The brand and Beale might of wanted to be rebels so the wallaby top up is kind of moot.

Does anyone want to shed light on all the real estate RA/Tahs deals last couple of years… fancy new HQ (do the tahs use that?) fancy new training facility for tahs (do any of the other RA high performance teams have access to it)

The rebels don’t even have a clubhouse, they use a training paddock and probably meet at a coffee shop to talk about strategy.

Seems like RA pours millions into NSW while the rest of the country cries fouls about the bias spending in NSW.

NSW State Government put 20m into building that in partnership with UNSW.

RA facilities are at Moore Park which the Waratahs do not use.

 

[Proud Pig]

There is certainly a level of mismanagement by the board of the Rebels but an equal degree of mismanagement has been from Rugby Australia. You cannot put a team in a non-heartland state and then basically say there you go sink or swim.
When running a business you have two alternatives to stay solvent either focus on maximising revenue or minimising costs. However, when one of those alternatives is barred from you because RA makes you pay a minimum amount of the Salary Cap you have no alternative but to chase revenue creation. Even if you know that revenues cannot cover costs you are not allowed to lower costs. This means that teams are forced to chase the best players they can to try to improve performance and maximise revenues. The only way for the Rebels to make money was to be successful from the start but to get players from other states they needed to pay a premium to get them to move. This is the fallacy of Salary Cap minimum spends it does not even the field it just forces struggling clubs to overpay players. This has been shown by the AFL where the bottom clubs cannot build a war chest to chase free agents because they need to pay a minimum % of the salary cap.
Rugby Australia has blood on it's hands with the Rebels and let's not kid ourselves it will not end here. Once the Rebels are gone and there are only 4 sides in Australia, you lose the second largest television market in Australia which means a significant drop in what STAN or whoever will pay for Super Rugby. That further erodes revenues that RA can collect for the 4 remaining clubs meaning that each club will get a bigger slice but it will be of a much smaller pie.
The only way to stop this happening to other clubs is to slash the salary cap and as such curtail spending. I fear for the Brumbies as I think they are likely to be next because RA will focus any financial support required to the Waratahs as they have handed full control to RA.

 

[Adam84]

Does anyone want to shed light on all the real estate RA/Tahs deals last couple of years… fancy new HQ (do the tahs use that?) fancy new training facility for tahs (do any of the other RA high performance teams have access to it)

The rebels don’t even have a clubhouse, they use a training paddock and probably meet at a coffee shop to talk about strategy.

Seems like RA pours millions into NSW while the rest of the country cries fouls about the bias spending in NSW.

Perceived bias is usually shaped by a lack of understanding of the issue.

Waratahs new facility is entirely funded by NSW Govt. Likewise Ballymore NRTC upgrade is government funded, by both Fed & QLD with a small part from supporters.

RA has its own ‘high performance’ facility up the road at Moore Park, which was joint funded between state and fed. The Aussie 7s are based here and other teams like Wallaroos use it when in Sydney, or for Sydney based Wallaroos.

QRU/RA are pushing for Ballymore Eastern Stand to be upgraded via government funding, which could see the Aussie 7s womens team relocated to Brisbane as the carrot to justify the cost.

 

[LeCheese]

Bias is usually shaped by a lack of understanding of the issue.

Waratahs new facility is entirely funded by NSW Govt. Likewise Ballymore NRTC upgrade is government funded, by both Fed & QLD with a small part from supporters.

RA has its own ‘high performance’ facility up the road at Moore Park, which was joint funded between state and fed. The Aussie 7s are based here and other teams like Wallaroos use it when in Sydney, or for Sydney based Wallaroos.

QRU/RA are pushing for Ballymore Eastern Stand to be upgraded via government funding, which could see the Aussie 7s womens team relocated to Brisbane as the carrot to justify the cost.

This.

I'm always a bit perplexed by those who suggest the Vic Govt are big supporters of rugby, moreso than other states, due to their willingness to fork out for Wallabies tests and Super Round - they aren't; they are (understandably) supporters of big live events which generate tourism income.

 

[Adam84]

This.

I'm always a bit perplexed by those who suggest the Vic Govt are big supporters of rugby, moreso than other states, due to their willingness to fork out for Wallabies tests and Super Round - they aren't; they are (understandably) supporters of big live events which generate tourism income.

VIC Govt are spending a significant amount building an academy at Latrobe for Vic Rugby Academies and Super W team, which will sit alongside the Matildas as tenants of the facilities out there. But that’s not a facility for the men’s team.

what’s the status of these facilities, any construction updates? fields were supposed to be open by now weren’t they?

On top of Rebels, pretty sure WA Govt funded the Rugby WA training facilities pre-twiggy/2017. I think Brumbies are only team not to receive capital grant for facilities, but ACT Govt does fund a bit different and provides on-going funding as a sponsorship to sporting teams in the capital.

 

[Rebel man]

VIC Govt are spending a significant amount building an academy at Latrobe for Vic Rugby Academies and Super W team, which will sit alongside the Matildas as tenants of the facilities out there. But that’s not a facility for the men’s team.

what’s the status of these facilities, any construction updates? fields were supposed to be open by now weren’t they?

On top of Rebels, pretty sure WA Govt funded the Rugby WA training facilities pre-twiggy/2017. I think Brumbies are only team not to receive capital grant for facilities, but ACT Govt does fund a bit different and provides on-going funding as a sponsorship to sporting teams in the capital.

Yeah it’s the home of the all the Rebels pathway teams, home of the women but not the men. If the Rebels survive I could see the men moved out there when it is finished surely it would be cheaper the house all of the club in the one spot.

 

[Derpus]

Would you Rebels fans support a Pacifika Rebels? Has a very Northern Eagles feel to it.

 

[Highlander35]

Would you Rebels fans support a Pacifika Rebels? Has a very Northern Eagles feel to it.

Melbourne Pasifika yes, Pasifika Rebels no.

 

[Rebel man]

Would you Rebels fans support a Pacifika Rebels? Has a very Northern Eagles feel to it.

Nup it alienates anyone who isn’t an Islander. While I respect the enormous amount of heavy lifting those communities do in Victorian Rugby the team should aim to be inclusive of all in Melbourne.

we can’t limit ourselves to a numerical small ethnic group as it will become hard to ever grow out of that

 

[Adam84]

I’m not sure why Doran felt the need to highlight Baden wasn’t offered a new job within the rugby ‘ecosystem’. Surely that was a given

 

[SouthernX]

I’m not sure why Doran felt the need to highlight Baden wasn’t offered a new job within the rugby ‘ecosystem’. Surely that was a given
View attachment 18219

Tim Sampson was offered a job in the eco system when given the boot by the force

 

[Rebelsfan]

Do we know anymore about the two cars on the books?

It’s weird because the execs used to have a leased bmw . In which case it would be returned - why do o they own them?

 

[Dan54]

Would you Rebels fans support a Pacifika Rebels? Has a very Northern Eagles feel to it.

That's not a goer is it really? I mean where would they play out of, and who would pay their bills? I don't have a problem if it can work, but I would think to be called Melbourne Rbels (or vice versa) they would have to become an Aussie team, and can RA afford that?