Melbourne Rebels 2024

[mst]

Because if they are able to prosecute the case why should they be left personally liable for the debt?

Because their management is a key contributing factor for the debt. It would be reasonable expect they would be aware of the risks and revenue shortfall, and also be are of the financial position of RA and the other teams. To claim they could not see the risks is naïve.

 

[Prodigy]

Who cares? This attitude is ridiculous, you have no rights to take legal action because even if you are vindicated it will hurt the game.

So you believe that if there is enough evidence that the court would see fit to find in favour of the Rebels and award them a $30m settlement the directors should just shut up go away and pay the ATO out of their own pockets?

I think the directors should have been more deliberate with their spending of the RA funding and paid their tax liability.
Dodging tax shouldn’t be someone else’s problem.

 

[SouthernX]

They'll literally be starting from scratch. I'm not as confident as you are that many of those 1 year contracted players would jump at the chance to come back.

The tight knit rebels were basically coerced to join the shittiest team in Australia.

Melbourne is a way better destination to live than Sydney.

The rebels have never had issues selling the dream to live in Australia sporting capital of australia

I really hope someway, somehow we get this predicament cause Australia rugby will be stronger with 5 teams of professional contracts as opposed to 4 teams

 

[PhilClinton]

The Rebels directors know that RA is trying to rebuild trust with the Australian public. I think they’re aware the case to win is quite baseless, but the court of public opinion is still looming.

By asking RA to show its books and allege ‘misuse of funds during RWC23’, it’s possible that if the case proceeds, some dirty laundry gets aired.

I imagine RA won’t want to be showing everyone all the Michelin Star French bistros Eddie was munching down at whilst covertly taking the Japan job.

As mentioned by numerous people here, RA may simply pay to make these guys go away. Which is really the outcome the rebels directors are looking for.

 

[oztimmay]

Any idea when this would actually get to court?

At least a 18 - 24 month process, I'm reliably told.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

At least a 18 - 24 month process, I'm reliably told.

Too long.

Time to bring in the heavyweights:

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[oztimmay]

Fuck. I just looked at "our team", and a few squad cars just pulled up front.
Momoka would be proud of your work DP.

 

[Bullrush]

The tight knit rebels were basically coerced to join the shittiest team in Australia.

If only those 'tight knit rebels' could win games and get people to come and watch.

I don't know that a 14 year old club that celebrated a 35% win rate as their best season should really be calling anyone shitty LOL

 

[stillmissit]

FMD these clowns fighting over who has the smaller penis from a financial management pov.

Just what the code needs with the Lions on the horizon and 2 x RWC just beyond.

Well done everyone. Last one out turn out the lights.

I'd suggest that it is BECAUSE of the BIL and RWC money coming in that they are going for it. Will be interesting but not for RA, other teams and the grass roots.

 

[Tomthumb]

This lawsuit might be the reform that needs to happen.

Has anyone thought about how centralisation will impact expansion. If RA has X amount of revenue coming in to support 4 teams… how do you think the other franchises will feel/vote should a 5th team enter the fray and now super franchises needed to redistribute the payment 5 ways now instead of 4.

Melbourne market is very important for rugby if it wants to be a serious professional competition.

Is it? Super 12 did just fine without Melbourne. AFL owns that city, end of

 

[hoggy]

Is it? Super 12 did just fine without Melbourne. AFL owns that city, end of

They do, but at the time all we ever heard was expand or die. Hell if someone watched a game of rugby in a remote village in Africa, they were parachuting in Super Rugby expansion swat teams the next day, the games narrative was all about global expansion in the early 2000's

Melbourne supports something close to 20 professional sporting teams, sadly rugby is to busy playing the blame game and driven by self interest to actually understand the real reasons why they collapsed.

 

[PhilClinton]

I’ve said a number of times that I really sympathise with guys like Rebel Man who clearly have a deep love for the Rebels. But the reality is no matter the outcome of this court case:

- the Rebels aren’t coming back to super rugby
- the Rebels directors just want some $$$ to offset their debts
- rugby fans get caught in more bullshit that ends up hurting our bottom line and engagement

RA as an organisation, particularly the previous administration, were pretty crap. But this court case doesn’t solve anything about the future of rugby.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

The tight knit rebels were basically coerced to join the shittiest team in Australia.

Melbourne is a way better destination to live than Sydney.

The rebels have never had issues selling the dream to live in Australia sporting capital of australia

I really hope someway, somehow we get this predicament cause Australia rugby will be stronger with 5 teams of professional contracts as opposed to 4 teams

Cmon SX, selling the dream was giving bucket loads of cash to the likes of QC (Quade Cooper), JOC (James O'Connor), KB (Kurtley Beale), Phipps for no return. They all left and went overseas or back to their home sides.


This is all shit. Victoria produce very good talent for the sport and this will diminish to some to some degree. I don't necessarily believe NRL take them all as the Storm were in Melbourne 15 years before the Rebels.

It seems it is an unsustainable idea for Rugby in Aus. Do a little bit of reading and it becomes clear. By 2014 the Rebels already owed the ARU 8.75m. In 2015 the Rebels were given another loan of 4.2m. Also in 2015 given another "special funding" of 2.6m.

15.5m on un-budgeted expenditure. The ARU was also running them and paying the budgeted costs for a few years in there.

When the Rebels went back into Private ownership in 2015 "No consideration was paid to [the ARU] as part of this agreement. As part of the sale and purchase agreement, [the ARU] forgave its loans to the MRRU"

It's really sad but I do think RA want them gone. They probably regret ever bringing them in in hindsight and no half baked future plan is going to be believed or trusted unless someone wants to stump up millions and assets from the start not some we hope to hold the pocket of an A league Club who wouldn't mind using us to push the Government for more funding but will be the priority tenant.

RA seem to be trying to live within their means (the WC is a hole in that argument tbf) and very sadly rough calls have had to be made. QLD & NSW will never be cast aside as unfair as it feels. No matter their situation like the Tahs recently or the 3m loan in 2010 to the Reds.

 

[hoggy]

RA seem to be trying to live within their means (the WC is a hole in that argument tbf) and very sadly rough calls have had to be made. QLD & NSW will never be cast aside as unfair as it feels. No matter their situation like the Tahs recently or the 3m loan in 2010 to the Reds.

"RA seem to be trying to live within their means" being broke does that to you.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Momoka would be proud of your work DP.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

"RA seem to be trying to live within their means" being broke does that to you.

Not historically for Rugby.

 

[Braveheart81]

I believe the issues with governance run a lot deeper than just the Rebels. My guess with the corporations act is that RA was fully aware they were trading while insolvent. What evidence can they provide? I don’t know. Yet one of the directors is a KC and practices in that area of law. I can’t see him perusing the case if he thought it had no hope at all.

RA aren't the corporate regulator. I'm not sure what proving RA knew about the Rebels financial state would really achieve aside from indicating that perhaps RA should have led the charge to get the Rebels wound up?!?

I also don't see how the Rebels directors can really run this argument. Making an admission of criminal guilt (trading while insolvent) as your opening salvo doesn't seem like a good position to take.

 

[fatprop]

OK, how are the Rebels funding this?

This is a big dog legal stoush, these cases pay for holiday houses and private school fees for years to come

 

[hoggy]

Not historically for Rugby.

Finally the C/C got declined

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

yes, that's my thumb