Melbourne Rebels 2024

[Highlander35]

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

TT is the type of player who would be valued most by European side. Plays tighthead, plenty of international experience, bit of a big name to help sell some tickets/jerseys.

In principle, I agree I'd probably be looking at the group of Daugunu/Leota/Ekuasi/Proctor/LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) to snipe first. But Irish provinces, being both cashed up but structurally limited in the number of internationals they can bring in, can be afford to be very specific in their choices.

 

[oztimmay]

So who’s up for a long read about the Rebels, and plans to rescue them (or not).

https://archive.is/uJKP3

 

[Wilson]

So who’s up for a long read about the Rebels, and plans to rescue them (or not).

https://archive.is/uJKP3

This is the part that has always made it clear what this fight is about - directors getting out of trouble, not saving the club:

Sources involved in the discussions to rescue the club were scratching their heads at what they saw to be a counteractive approach: go to war with the peak body, while also proposing a deal reliant on that body handing back the Super Rugby licence.

And even if everything goes the way of the directors, there are still questions about how the club could exist past the next few years without additional funding injections from the state and federal government. Ever since its 2011 inception, the Rebels has always been a loss-making operation.

And this just seems delusional:

One novel deal being considered by supporters of the club’s directors would require federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers arranging a grant of $11 million to the club.

That money would then be immediately repaid to the Tax Office to clear the debts and the board’s high-profile directors would then resign from the board. Under this scenario, millions more would be required from Rugby Australia and potentially the Victorian government to support the perpetually loss-making club to get back on its feet or help to form a new club, such as the previously floated Rebels Pasifika merger. Other funds would be sourced to form a deed of company arrangement that would offer a cents-in-the-dollar deal to the club’s often longtime supporters.

State government maybe, but the feds aren't going to come to the Rebels rescue. The second they do they'll have a line of A-League clubs out the door expecting theirs.

 

[oztimmay]

Just to balance out the Age article..

Exclusive: Rebels threaten Civil War as peace talks with RA end in another blow for Super Rugby

The Super Rugby Pacific season threatens to be overshadowed by the threat of civil war in Australian rugby after Rugby Australia on Friday walked…

www.theroar.com.au

 

[Dan54]

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.

He lasted exactly 3 minute when he came on last night before he went down for first time. Then went down a couple more times. Whether that was time wasting or not I can't say but he looks a pretty unfit tub of lard on the field

 

[LeCheese]

He lasted exactly 3 minute when he came on last night before he went down for first time. Then went down a couple more times. Whether that was time wasting or not I can't say but he looks a pretty unfit tub of lard on the field

I’m not suggesting his fitness isn’t up to scratch - but in fairness to him, the first time he went down was after he rolled his ankle, and the second he seemed to do something to his (already injured and heavily strapped/padded) hand. Both seemed legitimate and that he was in a fair bit of discomfort.

He had is best game of the season this week, and is improving with more minutes and match fitness. For the sake of the Rebels and Wallabies, hopefully that continues.

 

[oztimmay]

Handy sponsorship…

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

What is the best way, as a member, to express your lack of support to the board for their management and their current track w RA?
In my mind their performances on field have been consistently a failure and it appears that off field it’s been a disaster.
now they are risking nearly the existence of the game by trying to get someone else to pay for their mistakes.
The best thing that could happen is the club folds, license handed back and RA finds a way to restart the rebels under their own management with some efficiencies w warstahs driving a better balance sheet.
Performance on field unlikely to get worse, off field can only get better but sticking with these morons will only hurt the game

 

[Dctarget]

Performance on field unlikely to get worse

Why do you think this?

 

[SouthernX]

What is the best way, as a member, to express your lack of support to the board for their management and their current track w RA?
In my mind their performances on field have been consistently a failure and it appears that off field it’s been a disaster.
now they are risking nearly the existence of the game by trying to get someone else to pay for their mistakes.
The best thing that could happen is the club folds, license handed back and RA finds a way to restart the rebels under their own management with some efficiencies w warstahs driving a better balance sheet.
Performance on field unlikely to get worse, off field can only get better but sticking with these morons will only hurt the game

don’t think the board still exist as they handed back the lisence?
Your criticism should be directed at RA… they are the new deckchair arrangers on the titanic

 

[Dctarget]

Baden Stephenson has landed on his feet.. new GM @ the Drua

 

[The Marketing Pigeon]

Thought this was a Betoota Advocate article when I saw it

Baden Stephenson has landed on his feet.. new GM @ the Drua

 

[oztimmay]

Nup, I heard the same thing, too. Clarkie confirmed on Twitter.
Good on him for landing on his feet.

 

[LeCheese]

Baden Stephenson has landed on his feet.. new GM @ the Drua

 

[Wilson]

Hope they got a good deal...

 

[Highlander35]

that's crazy

 

[Wallaby Man]

Just makes you wonder just how terrible the systems in Australia are.

This wouldn’t have been signed off without World Rugby approval and Mark Evans (Drua CEO, former Melb Storm, Harlequins and Saracens) is one of the best operators in rugby. I know he has a lot of opinions on rugby in Australia and how it’s set up to fail.

If Baden is good enough for them, then what’s wrong with us to see the results that happened?

 

[Tomikin]

Just makes you wonder just how terrible the systems in Australia are.

This wouldn’t have been signed off without World Rugby approval and Mark Evans (Drua CEO, former Melb Storm, Harlequins and Saracens) is one of the best operators in rugby. I know he has a lot of opinions on rugby in Australia and how it’s set up to fail.

If Baden is good enough for them, then what’s wrong with us to see the results that happened?

Let's be honest, it's not like the Dura probably had that many suitable applicants, and if the CEO (and I'm reading into what you have said above on strong opinions of Aus Rugby e.g. negatively) he may have seen it as an experienced GM who got shafted by RA, and is a much better option then the alternatives.

I would have thought the stink was bad enough that you would stay away... even his comments late last year that the Rebels were fine when they weren't would have made me think Rugby admin isn't his gig.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Might be he successfully laid the blame at the feet of the board in interviews etc, but I do think it's probably a reflection of what the Drua are offering salary wise and to the quality of their likely applicants

 

[Yoda]

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?

You have to ask also what sort of mob entices young blokes down there with this lure of a better contract and future knowing they are broke… piss poor.