Rebels 2018

[Tex]

so despite my love for QC (Quade Cooper) i think on balance that the potential for disruption might outweigh the upside of a Genia/Cooper halves combo. I certainly wont be disappointed if he comes south, i just wouldn't pursue it myself.

This expresses my thoughts better than I was able to. Love Quade's game and think he's now a mature head and a leader, but I don't know how much of my love for his game is built on that ridiculous premiership season back in 2011 and the odd bright spark in Wallaby colours.

 

[KevinO]

Rebels are now under Salary cap, letting Lance go was all they needed to do. Did no one else read the whole article the other day?

A lot of the Rebels players next contracts will be quite large, that's when the issue will arise. At the moment Sefa and Hodge still have not had new contracts since becoming Wallabies. Losing Smith and McMahon would be similar to what they need to pay DHP and Coleman.

 

[GoMelbRebels]

Rebels are now under Salary cap, letting Lance go was all they needed to do. Did no one else read the whole article the other day?

A lot of the Rebels players next contracts will be quite large, that's when the issue will arise. At the moment Sefa and Hodge still have not had new contracts since becoming Wallabies. Losing Smith and McMahon would be similar to what they need to pay DHP and Coleman.

I’m not sure about Sefa but Hodge extended his contract to the end of 2020 at the start of the 2017 season, which was after his Wallabies debut.

 

[TOCC]

Rebels are now under Salary cap, letting Lance go was all they needed to do. Did no one else read the whole article the other day?

Rebels were already under the salary cap before lance was released, because the salary cap isn’t being enforced in 2018... you can’t be above something which doesn’t exist.

On another note the Rebels still looking for a major sponsor, they hope to have one before the start of the season but nothing is locked down.

 

[GoMelbRebels]

No mention of Alex Toolis in this list of locks:

“Parling will bring a wealth of experience to a highly competitive squad and depth to the locks which feature Adam Coleman, Matt Philip, Sam Jeffries and young guns Esei Ha’angana and Trevor Hosea.”

https://melbournerebels.com/2018/01/24/parling-ready-for-super-rugby-test/

 

[swingpass]

No mention of Alex Toolis in this list of locks:

“Parling will bring a wealth of experience to a highly competitive squad and depth to the locks which feature Adam Coleman, Matt Philip, Sam Jeffries and young guns Esei Ha’angana and Trevor Hosea.”

https://melbournerebels.com/2018/01/24/parling-ready-for-super-rugby-test/

from watching training he has been playing 6 more than second row,
edit: speaking of positional play did others notice Tetra Faulkner was packing at loosehead on the video the other day

 

[GoMelbRebels]

from watching training he has been playing 6 more than second row,

Roger that! Thanks!

 

[Mr Wobbly]

from watching training he has been playing 6 more than second row,
edit: speaking of positional play did others notice Tetra Faulkner was packing at loosehead on the video the other day

I'm pretty sure Toolis played at 6 in his NRC season
I recall hearing that one of the reasons Faulkner was keen on coming home to Melbourne was that he wanted to play loosehead.
Also, I noticed Jordy was in uniform at the Rebels day out yesterday. Maybe he is hanging around?

 

[GoMelbRebels]

I'm pretty sure Toolis played at 6 in his NRC season
I recall hearing that one of the reasons Faulkner was keen on coming home to Melbourne was that he wanted to play loosehead.
Also, I noticed Jordy was in uniform at the Rebels day out yesterday. Maybe he is hanging around?

Into the new year, I would say he IS hanging around, we can only hope.

 

[Rebels3]

I'm pretty sure Toolis played at 6 in his NRC season
I recall hearing that one of the reasons Faulkner was keen on coming home to Melbourne was that he wanted to play loosehead.
Also, I noticed Jordy was in uniform at the Rebels day out yesterday. Maybe he is hanging around?

Love Jordy, i've managed to have a few drinks with him out and about over the past couple of years and he's an absolute champ. LH prob isn't a bad option for Faulkner, with the rise of Tupou and AAT & Kepu clearly ahead in the pecking order for the Wallabies it's prob his best shout to make the squad. With Sio the only one guaranteed a spot in the squad, it'd be a shootout between Slipper (returning from a long term injury), Robertson (meh....) and himself. It's probably in the best interests of himself, the Rebels and Wallabies.

 

[upthereds#!]

Faulkner got some runs on the board at LHP over Robertson for the wobs. Can play both but definitely pushing his LHP status. Kepu, Ala'alatoa, Thor, Ainsley are the top 4 THPS, with Sio, Slipper, Faulkner & Robertson as the top 4 LHPSs atm.

Toolis also been pushing his no.6 creds. Not sure if he will benefit from Parling and Mafi leaving in 2019, or will get squeezed out regardless if a guy like Cottrell gets brought on fulltime.

Will be a lot of talent not even getting bench time. super exciting.

 

[Highlander35]

With the squad we have, one of the things that can definitely set you apart will be versatility.

For the likes of Toolis, Timani and RHP as well, strong enough form in preseason probably has Wessels strongly considering putting one of them as a reserve lock. and gambling that a Philip/Coleman pair can play 80, so that whomever of Colby and Hardwick isn't in the starting XV can take the 20 jersey.

No offense meant to someone like Daley or anyone else, but Faulkner playing loosehead fulfils a similar role, in that we can get both Ainsley and Sammy Talakai into the 23.
And we all know that a lot of our backline players (Hodge in particular) can be shifted around to suit needs.

 

[swingpass]

so from what i've seen on the training paddock


faulkner
uelese
talaki
coleman
jeffries/philip
timani
Fainga'a
(mafi)
genia
adams
DHP
meakes
hodge
koriobete
maddocks looks to be the current preferred 15. the backs are still a bit fluid, English has run a bit at 13/wing; horwitz at 12 and hodge at 13

at the moment Cottrell has been running at 8, Naivalu still recovering from shoulder surgery in rehab group. clearly many riches available and combinations to be sorted

 

[oztimmay]

Rebels signed a MoU to host a pre-season camp in Ballarat for the next two years and will play an NRC game there this year.

ROADTRIP BOYS!!

 

[GoMelbRebels]

Rebels signed a MoU to host a pre-season camp in Ballarat for the next two years and will play an NRC game there this year.

ROADTRIP BOYS!!

Ballarat, watch out - the GAGR brigade will be in town!

 

[glass half full]

What a cracking squad, favourites to top the OZ conference by a mile!

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Alt.team

Sa'aga
Rangi
Weeks
Jeffries
Ha'angana
Toolis
Reid
Leota
Goddard
McGregor
Fou
Shipperley
Tuipulotu
Hutchison
Horwitz

 

[mst]

Rebels signed a MoU to host a pre-season camp in Ballarat for the next two years and will play an NRC game there this year.

ROADTRIP BOYS!!

Good to hear rugby is avoiding stereotypical image of being the white collar private school based sport and working towards that more accessible more inclusive image.

Ballarat - hilarious! That' s one very (very) strong AFL region with clubs deeply entrenched in to the communities.

Just wondering if the time and effort would have been far more beneficial being spent finding a sponsor.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Good to hear rugby is avoiding stereotypical image of being the white collar private school based sport and working towards that more accessible more inclusive image.

Ballarat - hilarious! That' s one very (very) strong AFL region with clubs deeply entrenched in to the communities.

Just wondering if the time and effort would have been far more beneficial being spent finding a sponsor.

Yeah, you're probably right. We should all just fucking give up and not even bother trying. You know, AFL and all.

For someone that gives up a lot of their time to contribute to this site you could do a lot better than make pissy troll posts.

 

[mst]

Yeah, you're probably right. We should all just fucking give up and not even bother trying. You know, AFL and all.

For someone that gives up a lot of their time to contribute to this site you could do a lot better than make pissy troll posts.

Pissy troll post maybe. Or just as a left field option for you to consider, there is a strong (hint, hint) possibility I am pretty familiar with sports in that area.

No denying braking in to an AFL dominated market is hard, but it is possible (though unlikely for rugby) but wow, that be one of the hardest regions to try break in to or even get some attention pre-season if you were picking one.

If you take a drive just out of Ballarat you will find AFL ovals that appear as they are in the middle of nowhere. There is insufficient housing around them to support a single team. Come training night you will see a hundred or so people at the ground (most have small but pretty good facilities and lights! ). The young blokes, mostly apprentices who are fairly decent players can supplement their income by upwards of $100 a week if they are willing to travel a bit. I have kin that can attest to that after playing for a few clubs who approached him and getting compensated quite well. This is rinse and repeat for most of the Victorian country areas.

Basketball is also strong in that region especially at the junior levels. Right now it's towards the end of a series of basketball carnivals in that region (I have spent many days at these over the years) that are well established and long running so there would be very little interested from the junior ranks. As an example in Bendigo this Australia day weekend is an annual junior basketball event that attracts about 200 teams.

If Rugby wants to break into the Victorian market properly it needs to do in the suburban areas to start with as its the most viable option. .