so what needs to happen for rebels to play pro rugby in this country again?
say the 4x remaining teams get x amount of dollars from a tv deal - do you think there would be any appetite down the track from the rugby franchises dividing a pot by 4 suddenly having to divide the pot back to 5? less money but better for the game nationally.
A reborn rebels could get their ducks in a row but I don’t think there’s going to be any interest without some rich benefactor underwriting the new franchise.
I think the Rebels are probably goneski forever. I don't think there's quite enough goodwill or opportunity for continuity attached to the brand to make a return workable outside a maybe a one-off farewell against the BILs made up of former types that will still be in and around Super next season: but far more likely to be the Drua, or Pacific Barbarians type of side that takes it's place.
Short term, I think RA, RV and Vic Government probably need to pull heads together and try to get a representative side and a colts into either the Queensland or ACT competitions for the life of the existing Super agreement, or the pathways completely collapse.
As long as the pathways are in place, and there can be "something" of good vibes around Victorian Rugby, I think there's almost certainly an opportunity for a different Melbourne based side to come into whatever is after Super Rugby.