Rebels 2020

[Rebelsfan]

^^ please don't take offence, just a friendly jibe and good on you too

 

[RebelYell]

^^^^^^
well i hope you are right. i cannot but compare the Rebels and Storm, and i know the latter had a stupendous amount of financial support from News Corp, but notwithstanding the salary cap rorts of the early years, they have been successful on and off the pitch from the get go. i live close to the "bubbledome" and as i walked this afternoon, there were hordes of supporters streaming into the ground for todays game, it was a very sobering juxtaposition to the Rebels crowds this year.

i can see marginal gains in the Rebels performances, but i am a rusted on rugby supporter, well over 50 years of playing, watching, coaching; the average punter just sees a team underperforming, so why bother forking out $ to watch or make emotional investment. neither RA nor the sponsors may be willing or have the readies to keep propping up a Melbourne team that the city (excepting a few thousand diehards) doesn't seem to want or care that much about. and who can blame them with the sort of on field efforts of the last two weeks

everyone i know who is at the club, is totally invested in them doing well; but there is no deep culture to fall back on when the going gets tough and as Rugby Reg said you are reliant on outsiders/mercenaries to fill the roster.

The Storm make a financial loss every year, but their on-field success has been built on a culture of loyalty and respect. The Rebels as an organisation have shown very little of that to their players over the years, unfortunately.

Almost every single past Rebels player will tell you that they left the Club on bad terms and the Rebels name is mud for players all over the globe. You don't have to agree with me or believe me, but it is absolutely a fact.

 

[swingpass]

The Storm make a financial loss every year, but their on-field success has been built on a culture of loyalty and respect. The Rebels as an organisation have shown very little of that to their players over the years, unfortunately.

Almost every single past Rebels player will tell you that they left the Club on bad terms and the Rebels name is mud for players all over the globe. You don't have to agree with me or believe me, but it is absolutely a fact.

i can certainly imagine this from prior admin at the Rebels but does this still hold true for the current administration ? all the stories about the great program being run at the Rebels ? all PR ?

 

[RebelYell]

i can certainly imagine this from prior admin at the Rebels but does this still hold true for the current administration ? all the stories about the great program being run at the Rebels ? all PR ?

In terms of players who are about to leave, I couldn't tell you, but certainly some big-name departees of the past 12 months were treated appallingly.

 

[Dctarget]

In terms of players who are about to leave, I couldn't tell you, but certainly some big-name departees of the past 12 months were treated appallingly.

Why so? Like what reasons are causing these sour departures? Is it one person high up? Players come & go, it's natural. I'm impressed a club can be so stupid to have a trend of disrespecting players.

 

[RebelYell]

Why so? Like what reasons are causing these sour departures? Is it one person high up? Players come & go, it's natural. I'm impressed a club can be so stupid to have a trend of disrespecting players.

Multitude of reasons. One common occurrence has been dragging people along on the hope of a renewal and then either massively low-balling them or not re-contracting when they've stayed loyal and most of the overseas gigs are gone.

But there's also been players forced into early departures/retirements when contracted by being told that they won't get a game, even when some of them have been top 23 comfortably, but it's been because of the size of their contract.

Also some appalling treatment of players' injuries and even wellbeing over the years.

 

[swingpass]

^^^^^^
Thanks. I can see/recall some of those situations.

 

[Rebel man]

^^^^^^
well i hope you are right. i cannot but compare the Rebels and Storm, and i know the latter had a stupendous amount of financial support from News Corp, but notwithstanding the salary cap rorts of the early years, they have been successful on and off the pitch from the get go. i live close to the "bubbledome" and as i walked this afternoon, there were hordes of supporters streaming into the ground for todays game, it was a very sobering juxtaposition to the Rebels crowds this year.

i can see marginal gains in the Rebels performances, but i am a rusted on rugby supporter, well over 50 years of playing, watching, coaching; the average punter just sees a team underperforming, so why bother forking out $ to watch or make emotional investment. neither RA nor the sponsors may be willing or have the readies to keep propping up a Melbourne team that the city (excepting a few thousand diehards) doesn't seem to want or care that much about. and who can blame them with the sort of on field efforts of the last two weeks

everyone i know who is at the club, is totally invested in them doing well; but there is no deep culture to fall back on when the going gets tough and as Rugby Reg said you are reliant on outsiders/mercenaries to fill the roster.

As a kid they gave out free storm tickets like they were going out of fashion and still struggled to get a crowd. We need to have patients

 

[Mick The Munch]

Hang on surely we aren’t letting 3 out of 3 half backs go? Surely Godard sticks around and chases the starting role now Genia is gone

English is only going to Japan during the summer

 

[Mick The Munch]

Much as QC (Quade Cooper) has been great this season he is easily worked out. I think we could do with a strong, experienced, DoR to sit above Wessels and instill some fear into the players. I loved Philips try on Friday, but I was disappointed to see how "happy" our players seemed when we were 50 odd points down, there was no reason to be celebrating

 

[Rebels3]

Ben Darwin put it right on Twitter “You have to use nrc properly using the same systems as the super rugby team above them. It served the crusaders and hurricanes very well . It can’t be treated as surgery time or a way to find talent.”

Winning is a culture, it’s a habit. We need to stack the team with our best possible line up and be ruthless. Chances will naturally open up for youngsters with Wallaby call ups and injuries. I’d even say Wessels needs to be head coach for the Rising, he needs to develop as well and another handful of games at a decent level could only serve him well.

 

[KevinO]

@rebelyell that all sounds pretty possible, but why did Jones come back to Melbourne? He would have got a gig at any other franchise if it's true his on the basic contract.

But the way guys some guys were treated cause they were leaving has been a long way off professional.

I still remember Pyle only got one start after announcing he was going to France. So much for playing your best team.

The Rebels did look after Jordy Reid's rehab for a long time after his contract was finished. Guess that was cause of workplace laws when injured at work.

 

[RebelYell]

@rebelyell that all sounds pretty possible, but why did Jones come back to Melbourne? He would have got a gig at any other franchise if it's true his on the basic contract.

But the way guys some guys were treated cause they were leaving has been a long way off professional.

I still remember Pyle only got one start after announcing he was going to France. So much for playing your best team.

The Rebels did look after Jordy Reid's rehab for a long time after his contract was finished. Guess that was cause of workplace laws when injured at work.

And they probably owed him after not initially diagnosing his broken back, which he kept playing through...

Jones' in-laws live in Melbourne too. Babysitters are always handy when you have a kid.

I didn't say every player, but could tell you 10+

 

[KevinO]

I didn't say every player, but could tell you 10+

Here's a few I can think of, and I don't think Weeks was ready to hang up the boots so threw him into the mix

Pyle
Neville
Meehan
Stirzaker
JD
Placid
Smith
Higgers
Weeks
Crawford
Siddey
Kingston
Hegarty
Fugistaller

 

[Scooter]

Add Telusa Veainu to that list.

 

[LearningCurve]

Here's a few I can think of, and I don't think Weeks was ready to hang up the boots so threw him into the mix

Pyle
Neville
Meehan
Stirzaker
JD
Placid
Smith
Higgers
Weeks
Crawford
Siddey
Kingston
Hegarty
Fugistaller

So who is responsible for the mistreatment of players? This sort of approach isn't going to encourage players to join you or stay so you only get those who are desperate for a gig.

 

[Scooter]

For guys like Pyle, Meehan, Neville, Veainu and Hegarty I think it was Tony McGahan, who is thankfully gone.

 

[Brumby Runner]

How many were squeezed out by the amalgamation of the Rebels and Force? Has there been any hangover ill-feelings in the camp due to the loss of previous Rebels players to accommodate more than half a team relocating from Perth?

 

[Rebelsfan]

i can certainly imagine this from prior admin at the Rebels but does this still hold true for the current administration ? all the stories about the great program being run at the Rebels ? all PR ?

The current administration is still being directed by the same Board of Directors from 2014, so nothing has changed. As far as Baden Stephenson goes, he has been with the club since probably that time, starting in a different role, think he was the team manager or something.

 

[swingpass]

^^^^
No the Board is substantially different, the private owners are gone and there is a new chairman and a couple of new members. The direction could well be the same. Rebel Yell's implication that those on higher salaries or about to be, were moved on to keep costs down.