Melbourne Rebels Players - where are they going?

[Highlander35]

It's a good pickup for the Brumbs. Provides cover to a lot of positions, without necessarily disrupt the established starting group in 4-8.

Could see Feliuai and the Vaihu brothers being pretty reasonable pickups for them. Maybe Maiava or Angelo Smith too.

 

[Members Section]

Hopefully ends up at Moana & playing for Samoa this time next yr!

 

[Rebel man]

100% hope all the Vic Boys with dual eligibility turn their back on Aus Rugby and the Wallabies

 

[Tomthumb]

Good on ya

How bout them Rebels!

 

[Adam84]

Solid signing by the Brumbies.

I'm interested to see what happens with the Vaihu brothers. They're good but not commanding starting-position over wingers in other teams, maybe the Force.

 

[LeCheese]

100% hope all the Vic Boys with dual eligibility turn their back on Aus Rugby and the Wallabies

Just log off man

 

[Members Section]

Does his opinion hurt your feelings?

 

[KevinO]

Maybe save your comments for non Rebels related threads, can't blame fans for still being hurt. You might not like it, but a lot of Melbourne Rugby community feel this way. After all it is a big Islander population down here.

I am not even going to bother watching Wallabies v Wales series, no interest in anything relating to RA.

 

[Rebel man]

100%, rugby Australia doesn’t care about Melbourne that’s been clear since day one.

Why should a local boy take less to stay in Aus and play for the Wallabies when they could go to Europe or Japan and represent their heritage?

From my time in Rugby here I would say less than 10% of players here would only be eligible for Aus

 

[Tomthumb]

Wait, you're all mad at RA instead of the incompetent people at the Rebels that ran you into the ground with terrible financial decisions?

Haha ok

 

[Rebel man]

So why should any Victorian take under market value to play for the Wallabies?

I’ll always support all the lads that come out of Vic. Canham chose to stay and it will be a great moment to see him make his Wallabies debut eventually.

But honestly it’s not in their best interest to play for the Wallabies

 

[Adam84]

But honestly it’s not in their best interest to play for the Wallabies

odd and subjective comment on a personal topic to the players..

 

[Rebel man]

And they will all make their own decision, yet if it was my child I would advise them to maximise their earnings and represent their nation of heritage.

 

[KevinO]

Angry with both, but won't watch fellow Vics be ridiculed by fans from other states, been a member of this site a lot longer then you and won't take the same shit as 2017 all over again.

 

[Slim 293]

Feliuai is definitely the one the Brumbies need... and where RA would probably like him to end up with the other teams covered at inside centre.

On one hand I feel Tupou could follow Slipper's path to the Brumbies, prolong his career by largely coming off the bench and being in a place where there's fewer distractions... but on the other, jury is still out on Mowen and Ulugia's coaching after Laurie and Dan Palmer left.

McKellar and Raiwalui running the Tahs might now persuade those undecided Rebels' players to go to Sydney.

 

[Highlander35]

With nothing else to do the VRU have got some serious work to do getting the local scene up to scratch again.

Half the clubs struggle to pull together a 3rds for away trips or colts at all, Souths have been on hiatus for years, there's doesn't appear to be any formal/natural linking of VSRU and Rebels Shield players into the club system post high school, there's no Shield Clubs on the growth side of the city.

This 60s/70s model ain't working.

 

[KevinO]

I think they have improved the structure this year, allowed House to go back to 4 teams although the 4ths have a lot more travel. But yes, Souths and Wyndham really need some assistance, they should both be growing not shrinking. Souths should be allowed to use Cerberus as there 3rds again, that worked fine for everybody.

 

[Rebel man]

I feel they were starting to do well, knew a coach in the Rebels shield.

If you got picked for a rep side out of it you had to sign up for a club side.

They targeted all the primary schools around the Rebels shield schools to introduce kids to the game earlier

 

[LeCheese]

Just to be clear, I wasn't ridiculing @Rebel man or any other Rebels supporter for the way they feel - I fully understand the hurt and anger that results - regardless of whether I feel it's somewhat misguided. My point was more around if there's a lack of interest in Wobs/RA, why continue to post several posts to the same effect as above?

As you say, not the thread for this discussion, so I'll leave it there. Apologies to any offended.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Any word on Leafi Talataina? He'd be really high on my list if I was any of the other franchises. Coming off an ACL but he looks like a weapon of a prospect at 8.