Dumbledore
Dick Tooth (41)
My understanding is they'll have to be bailed out in the short term, looking for new financial backing already but no one is keen. It's very, very bad news.
Rebels 2013
- Thread starter James Buchanan
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RoffsChoice
Jim Lenehan (48)
Damn, damn, damn!
Antony
Alex Ross (28)
The ARU won't let them go under, but it'll be interesting to see whether the other SANZAR unions lend a hand. The NZRU is flush at the moment, but you'd have to think SARU would spy an opportunity to bring the Lions back in.
Has this been looming for a while? Why the big signings?
Has this been looming for a while? Why the big signings?
No4918
John Hipwell (52)
Very bad news but can the ARU continue to bail out sides. Not at all sustainable in the long term but we need to have 5 teams. If Australia is only to have 4 Super Rugby teams then the development of a complete 3rd tier competition is even more necessary. How long would it have taken for Pyle, Neville and Jones to get a shot at another side?
Papers in the west reporting Force management happy as pigs in mud and won't accept JOC (James O'Connor)'s return
Papers in the west reporting Force management happy as pigs in mud and won't accept JOC (James O'Connor)'s return
KevinO
Geoff Shaw (53)
Kiwi we signed last year, was injured all of last year and won't break into the side this year.
I didn't think Jones had the same impact at six this week, much prefer him at lock, don't think Neville is having anywhere near the impact he had last year.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
How long is the current SANZAR agreement? The ARU will have to honour the agreement to have five franchises in the competition. But, beyond that, if the good burgers of Melbourne do not want to support their team, then it should be allowed to pass gracefully into history.
swingpass
Peter Sullivan (51)
where does all this "mail" originate from? i really hope its just northern jealously/scuttlebut.
from a locals perspective the crowd numbers have been disappointing and have not increased as one would have hoped. there are'nt any freely available figures on membership numbers that i am aware of. does anyone know how many members so far this year?
presumably the start up costs been substantial, but the sponoship deals seem under no threat.
i really cant see the ARU letting go of the 2nd largest state and one of the most competitive sporting markets in australia. the pity is that really they should have come to melbourne rather than perth 8 years ago, and i am not decrying the valiant efforts the force franchise have put up to establish and further the game over in the west., but it was a complete cop out not to take on the AFL ands NRL in this state. it has allowed, in particular the NRL to grab hold of almost an entire generation of PI kids both as players and fans.
hope we can keep the roster pretty much intact after the season ends, foreigners excepted.
from a locals perspective the crowd numbers have been disappointing and have not increased as one would have hoped. there are'nt any freely available figures on membership numbers that i am aware of. does anyone know how many members so far this year?
presumably the start up costs been substantial, but the sponoship deals seem under no threat.
i really cant see the ARU letting go of the 2nd largest state and one of the most competitive sporting markets in australia. the pity is that really they should have come to melbourne rather than perth 8 years ago, and i am not decrying the valiant efforts the force franchise have put up to establish and further the game over in the west., but it was a complete cop out not to take on the AFL ands NRL in this state. it has allowed, in particular the NRL to grab hold of almost an entire generation of PI kids both as players and fans.
hope we can keep the roster pretty much intact after the season ends, foreigners excepted.
KevinO
Geoff Shaw (53)
Where from?
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Swingpass,
I hate to say it, but if the situation is as dire as some people think it is, perhaps the right decision was made to go to Perth. At least they are surviving, apparently. Incidentally, the reason that the Force bid was accepted was that it was far more compelling than the Victorian bid.
Presumably the Rebels franchise was granted on the basis of some sort of expectation of success. It would be worthwhile knowing where the shortcomings are. If the problem is just that the original financial backer wants out, but all the indicators are good, then maybe the ARU should step in. However, for all the "free kicks" that the NRL have had, their franchise still loses money, and their crowd numbers are not much better than the Rebels.
The NRL franchise will survive because apparently the ratings are okay in Melbourne.
The Rebels will not survive on charity from the ARU, it is up to the rugby community in Victoria, and maybe the State Government to support them (note that the Queensland Government propped up the Reds for a while, with Queensland Rail taking the main sponsorship for a couple of the dark years).
I hate to say it, but if the situation is as dire as some people think it is, perhaps the right decision was made to go to Perth. At least they are surviving, apparently. Incidentally, the reason that the Force bid was accepted was that it was far more compelling than the Victorian bid.
Presumably the Rebels franchise was granted on the basis of some sort of expectation of success. It would be worthwhile knowing where the shortcomings are. If the problem is just that the original financial backer wants out, but all the indicators are good, then maybe the ARU should step in. However, for all the "free kicks" that the NRL have had, their franchise still loses money, and their crowd numbers are not much better than the Rebels.
The NRL franchise will survive because apparently the ratings are okay in Melbourne.
The Rebels will not survive on charity from the ARU, it is up to the rugby community in Victoria, and maybe the State Government to support them (note that the Queensland Government propped up the Reds for a while, with Queensland Rail taking the main sponsorship for a couple of the dark years).
kiap
Steve Williams (59)
They'll survive. The NSWRU and QRU had their $3m ARU loans. You'd expect the Rebels will get a bailout but the private ownership thing is looking questionable now.
Well, the News Ltd franchise ran at a loss to put NRL in Melbourne. The AFL similarly in Sydney. That's probably part of why rugby went the private path with the Rebels, but those backers may have done their dough. The Force are developing a good rugby base, but the Rebels can also do this.
Kevinsons
Frank Nicholson (4)
Manu (the prop we let go due to failing the medical) started for the chiefs yesterday...
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
That really says a lot.........
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
A couple of points. Firstly, are you seriously suggesting that the ARU should "take on" the AFL in its traditional heartland. Oh. I checked, yes you are. Mate, wake up to yourself, the AFL could buy and sell the Rebels out of petty cash, and not even notice it. There is absolutely no way that we should do anything other than be deeply respectful to them, and hope that some of their fans might be interested in having a look at our game.
As for our Polynesian and Melanesian cousins, I hate to break it to you, but their grandfathers prefer rugby, the kids all prefer league. And why wouldn't they? They love to run with the ball, and are not at all interested in the tight stuff.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Nothing in today's papers, so maybe this is not as bad as it was said to be.
As the oldest rugby supporter on this forum I have seen the game go through some dark days, but the loss of the Rebels so early in their life would be up there, or down there, with the worst of it.
As the oldest rugby supporter on this forum I have seen the game go through some dark days, but the loss of the Rebels so early in their life would be up there, or down there, with the worst of it.
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