Melbourne Rebels 2024

[Ignoto]

100 page document co authored by one of Australia's leading advisory and investment firm says otherwise

My dude, as someone who's worked for the big 4 - you've drunk more Koolaid than a Grad who's only 1 month into their stint at the firm.

 

[oztimmay]

 

[LeCheese]

View attachment 19088

TL;DR - deemed to be all sizzle, no steak. Not surprising to say the least.

Having anonymous members of the consortium is also a bit of a red flag...

 

[Slim 293]

Extended statement here...

Rugby Australia statement regarding Melbourne Rebels

Rugby Australia (RA) advises that the application from a Consortium seeking a Participation Agreement for the Melbourne Rebels to participate in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific competition has been unsuccessful.

www.rugby.com.au

An excerpt...

However, it is clear that key advisers to the Consortium include one or more former directors of Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union Pty Ltd (MRRU), meaning that an individual or individuals involved were responsible for the governance of MRRU during the period in which the Administrator considers the company may have traded while insolvent.

Since the Rebels’ inaugural year in 2011, MRRU has not been independently financially sustainable despite significant additional investment by RA over and above committed club grants. There is nothing in the Consortium’s proposal which demonstrates with sufficient certainty that this will change.

The Consortium has claimed to have committed $18m in funding, though no documentary evidence has been provided to support this. RA has been asked to rely on a verbal assurance, as well as confirmation that a portion of the committed funding will be contributed towards funding the Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA).

No material has been provided outlining the new ownership structure, the new delivery model across two locations (AAMI Park and Tarneit) or how the historic financial challenges faced by MRRU would be mitigated under the new model.

RA does not take this decision lightly, however it must act in the best interests of the game and its stakeholders, and to provide certainty for the Rebels’ players and staff, and all Super Rugby clubs in planning for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.

Given the lack of detail made available to RA, the lack of transparency and the significant doubts over the Consortium’s proposed financial model, RA has determined that there is an unacceptable level of risk associated with entering into a Participation Agreement with this Consortium for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.

Regarding the Melbourne Rebels players, RA and the Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) have been contingency planning for the possibility of this outcome and met with players last week to discuss options for player movement within Australian Rugby.

 

[Dctarget]

weirdly everyone rubbing it in our faces that it’s our fault and the only logical decision doesn’t make me feel any less depressed.

this fucking sucks and I’m so sad, I feel awful for the coaches and the players and the fans. This whole season has felt like a prolonged funeral.

 

[Mick The Munch]

Hi Ho Hi Ho it's off to court we go

 

[Slim 293]

weirdly everyone rubbing it in our faces that it’s our fault and the only logical decision doesn’t make me feel any less depressed.

this fucking sucks and I’m so sad, I feel awful for the coaches and the players and the fans. This whole season has felt like a prolonged funeral.

Definitely...

It would probably go down somewhat easier if the blame could be laid on RA and we could target our anger towards them.

 

[Ignoto]

weirdly everyone rubbing it in our faces that it’s our fault and the only logical decision doesn’t make me feel any less depressed.

this fucking sucks and I’m so sad, I feel awful for the coaches and the players and the fans. This whole season has felt like a prolonged funeral.

DC - from the outside, it's sad that rather than use this as an opportunity to help re-shape Rugby in Australia, RA are taking the easy route of tossing the Rebels out.

Fans of other clubs are upset that we now have less rugby in Australia and most likely will suffer further losses when it comes to broadcast renewal as we have less games.

We've all lost something here, just like we lost something when the Force were removed.

 

[Rebel man]

RA just signed the death warrant for rugby in Victoria.

 

[SouthernX]

We've all lost something here, just like we lost something when the Force were removed.

Technically … Force were never removed.
They were essentially demoted from super rugby to keep plying their trade in NRC until they could be promoted again.

what’s Victoria got now? There’s no 3rd tier…

time to blow up super rugby and come back with something where the nations sporting capital can have representation.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Damn I feel for our Rebels brothers and sisters and as a Force member I know how you're feeling right now. It sucks and the long term health of the game in this country is not helped by having fewer teams IMHO.

 

[DaSchmooze]

DaSnooooze - Consortium to RA - we have $30m to keep the team going and take the debt off your hands and pay the staff......RA Nah.

Perghaps they could take that 30 million and pay back the creditors the money they owe them

 

[Mick The Munch]

Technically … Force were never removed.
They were essentially demoted from super rugby to keep plying their trade in NRC until they could be promoted again.

what’s Victoria got now? There’s no 3rd tier…

time to blow up super rugby and come back with something where the nations sporting capital can have representation.

I hope all staff and creditors get paid ASAP - remember PWC said it could take years. I hope all the players gte contracts ASAP also - probably overseas as they will have limited game time in Aus

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Obviously Vic Govt would prefer to have the Rebels around, but if they were gone it's not going to stop them bidding for major rugby sporting events such as the RWC final...

Yeah I feel as though Tourism Vic won't care was Sports Vic think. Get them to chuck some of that cancelled Comm Games cash at it them.

Shits me to no end to then hear about 600m for a NRL side that will be mess.

 

[Dctarget]

Yeah I feel as though Tourism Vic won't care was Sports Vic think. Get them to chuck some of that cancelled Comm Games cash at it them.

Shits me to no end to then hear about 600m for a NRL side that will be mess.

Yeah there's so much money around just not for RA.

 

[KevinO]

Don't forget 8 million ish of the debt the Rebels have is to the directors for loans they gave the club out of there own pockets. Now the other creditors will be receiving less as the DOCA being accepted had those parties walking away from money owed to them.

I feel for the players, staff and families. I know some of them are in property agreements that include next year, not only are they clubless and need to relocate, but they have massive bills to do so.

 

[SouthernX]

Shits me to no end to then hear about 600m for a NRL side that will be mess.

Yeah man this pisses me off to no end. Up in Queensland we have a govt penny pinching on our Olympic bid and stadium vision about cost of living etc and we got numbskulls in Canberra throwing this kind of coin around for a footy team

 

[KevinO]

Damn I feel for our Rebels brothers and sisters and as a Force member I know how you're feeling right now. It sucks and the long term health of the game in this country is not helped by having fewer teams IMHO.

Thanks BH, Rebels fans never wanted the Force axed. Most Aussie fans never agreed with Super Rugby going to 18 teams which was and still is downfall of Super Rugby and SH game. Since the start of the comp with SA bullying there way into 6 teams and 4 pools the game has gone backwards. The fact RA supported this move when every rugby fan with a brain said it was a bad idea, and the reports they received said it was a bad idea shows the lack of brains behind the game in this country.

With no Rebels I will not support the professional game in this country, I won't go to Wallabies games, I won't watch Super Rugby, and I'll wait for Ireland to tour NZ to go over there and watch a game or two.

 

[Mick The Munch]

Good quote in the comments on The Roar "
Now the Rebels need to fight back. Issue a statement that they do not accept this announcement by Rugby Australia and Waugh, and let RA know in no uncertain terms they have started a war they will lose.

After all the Rebels are the 3rd best team in Australia and superior to both Force and Waratahs on the Super Rugby ladder. C’mon Melbourne, get behind your team."

We're living a real world Rugby version of The Castle

 

[TSR]

Very sorry to hear Rebels fans.

Sad day for Australian Rugby.