Rebels 2022

[KevinO]

Who said they aren’t going to have a big player signing? This isn’t the last of the signings.

Well I can face the facts, no big name player is going to sign for us with a rookie coach who has a 0-5 record to date. Let's face it, while Foote is well liked by the players but the Rebels needed a coach with experience in a winning culture. It's also taken 3 months to make an announcement they could have went with instantly for recruitment purposes.

We have lost Koroibete, Isi and DHP and signed 2 players with no Super Rugby experience and Sorovi. Our squad has gone backwards, 76 Wallabies caps and over 200 games of Super Rugby experience backwards. If the Waratahs were not such a shambles at the moment I would back us for last place.

 

[RugbyReg]

I think having Stiles who has coached a fair few teams and in Japan will help sign players. He has contacts. I can tell you he won't mind making mates with Picone which opens the Rebels up for some big names there. That's his role - to get the players that Foote wants.

 

[Tex]

Well I can face the facts, no big name player is going to sign for us with a rookie coach who has a 0-5 record to date. Let's face it, while Foote is well liked by the players but the Rebels needed a coach with experience in a winning culture. It's also taken 3 months to make an announcement they could have went with instantly for recruitment purposes.

We have lost Koroibete, Isi and DHP and signed 2 players with no Super Rugby experience and Sorovi. Our squad has gone backwards, 76 Wallabies caps and over 200 games of Super Rugby experience backwards. If the Waratahs were not such a shambles at the moment I would back us for last place.

Come on Kev, it's not even July and you're writing it off. At least pretend to have some optimism

 

[Members Section]

Absolutely hope not. Especially as they don't have a Fullback on the roster with DHP and Worth gone.

Reece Hodge will play 15,

most likely best side as it is atm

1. Orr
2. Uelese
3. Eloff/Fa'amausili
4. Philip
5. Hosea
6. Leota (i'd personally like to see him at 8)
7. Hardwick
8. Wells
9. Powell
10. Gordan
11. Kellaway (he might play 13
12, To'omua
13. Magnay
14. Anderson
15. Hodge

16. Hanson
17. Gibbon
18. Eloff/Fa'amausili
19. RHP
20. Kemeny/Wilkin
21. Sorovi
22. Vaihu
23. zero idea maybe Tonumaipea/Vudogo/Mason Gordan/Joe Pincus

 

[KevinO]

Come on Kev, it's not even July and you're writing it off. At least pretend to have some optimism

10+ years of false hope, maybe better off just riding us off from the get go.

 

[RebelYell]

Reece Hodge will play 15,

most likely best side as it is atm

1. Orr
2. Uelese
3. Eloff/Fa'amausili
4. Philip
5. Hosea
6. Leota (i'd personally like to see him at 8)
7. Hardwick
8. Wells
9. Powell
10. Gordan
11. Kellaway (he might play 13
12, To'omua
13. Magnay
14. Anderson
15. Hodge

16. Hanson
17. Gibbon
18. Eloff/Fa'amausili
19. RHP
20. Kemeny/Wilkin
21. Sorovi
22. Vaihu
23. zero idea maybe Tonumaipea/Vudogo/Mason Gordan/Joe Pincus

I quite like the starting XV and a couple of the bench players, but I'm worried (as always as a Rebels fan) about depth.

We will likely see some journeyman players join the club extremely late (saving $ but not paying them to be there in pre-season etc) and end up having to play key roles in the 23, as we do every year.

Not since McGahan's era have we gone into a season with a settled squad of 35, announced in advance of the campaign and giving us clarity over who is who, when they're contracted to etc.

 

[GoMelbRebels]

10+ years of false hope, maybe better off just riding us off from the get go.

Bloody hell, Kev, can I change your name to Debbie Downer? Yeah, I know we tend to be a bit shit at times but I at least like to start with some optimism!

 

[Proud Pig]

10+ years of false hope, maybe better off just riding us off from the get go.

The irony of this statement with the signature "Every Dog has it's day" is not lost on me.

 

[KevinO]

The irony of this statement with the signature "Every Dog has it's day" is not lost on me.

Every dog has it's day is about my avatar but ok.

 

[swingpass]

stolen from page 1

Hooker:
Jordan Uelese (2022)

Prop:
Pone Fa'amausili (2022)
Cameron Orr (2022)

Lock:
Trevor Hosea (2023)
Matt Philip (2023)
Ross Haylett-Petty (2022)

Backrow:
Josh Kemeny (2023)
Brad Wilkin (2022)
Michael Wells (2022)
Rob Leota (2023)
Richard Hardwick (2023)
Tamati Ioane (2023)

Scrumhalf:
Joe Powell (2023)
Moses Sorovi (2023)

Flyhalf:
Matt To'omua (2023)

Centre:
Reece Hodge (2023) - should only play FB if others are fit.
Campbell Magnay (2022)
Jeral Skelton (2022)

Wing:
Young Tonumaipea (2022)
Lachie Anderson (2023)
Illy Vudogo (2023)
Andrew Kellaway (2023)

Fullback:
Joe Pincus (2023)

Unsigned:
Matt Gibbon (2021)
Rhys Van Nek (2021?)
Cabous Eloff (2021?)
James Tuttle (2021)
Theo Strang (2021) - has gone too
Carter Gordon (2021?)
Lewis Holland (2021)
Mason Gordon (2021?)

GONE:
Marika Koroibete - Panasonic WildKnights
Steve Cummins (Pau)
Tom Pincus (Retiring)
Frank Lomani (Fiji)
Dane Haylett-Petty
Isi Naisarani (Japan)
Ed Craig (Sydney)

have to add that Nowlan has signed, one presumes they will offer Stacy Illi an extension, Gibbon is highly likely to stay having bought a property in Melbourne (see post above somewhere), Carter Gordon (and brother ?) i thought were given 2 year deals, Van Neck and Eloff, especially the caboose, they need to sign to longterm deals imo. Likely also they will keep Vaihu, i hope they hang on to Hanson. James Tuttle would be very useful back up, unless they have a young half in mind for 2 -3 years time. They desperately need another second row or two (who dosen't) i wonder if they can entice the big saffa from 2 years ago back, cant recall his name.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

stolen from page 1

Hooker:
Jordan Uelese (2022)

Prop:
Pone Fa'amausili (2022)
Cameron Orr (2022)

Lock:
Trevor Hosea (2023)
Matt Philip (2023)
Ross Haylett-Petty (2022)

Backrow:
Josh Kemeny (2023)
Brad Wilkin (2022)
Michael Wells (2022)
Rob Leota (2023)
Richard Hardwick (2023)
Tamati Ioane (2023)

Scrumhalf:
Joe Powell (2023)
Moses Sorovi (2023)

Flyhalf:
Matt To'omua (2023)

Centre:
Reece Hodge (2023) - should only play FB if others are fit.
Campbell Magnay (2022)
Jeral Skelton (2022)

Wing:
Young Tonumaipea (2022)
Lachie Anderson (2023)
Illy Vudogo (2023)
Andrew Kellaway (2023)

Fullback:
Joe Pincus (2023)

Unsigned:
Matt Gibbon (2021)
Rhys Van Nek (2021?)
Cabous Eloff (2021?)
James Tuttle (2021)
Theo Strang (2021) - has gone too
Carter Gordon (2021?)
Lewis Holland (2021)
Mason Gordon (2021?)

GONE:
Marika Koroibete - Panasonic WildKnights
Steve Cummins (Pau)
Tom Pincus (Retiring)
Frank Lomani (Fiji)
Dane Haylett-Petty
Isi Naisarani (Japan)
Ed Craig (Sydney)

have to add that Nowlan has signed, one presumes they will offer Stacy Illi an extension, Gibbon is highly likely to stay having bought a property in Melbourne (see post above somewhere), Carter Gordon (and brother ?) i thought were given 2 year deals, Van Neck and Eloff, especially the caboose, they need to sign to longterm deals imo. Likely also they will keep Vaihu, i hope they hang on to Hanson. James Tuttle would be very useful back up, unless they have a young half in mind for 2 -3 years time. They desperately need another second row or two (who dosen't) i wonder if they can entice the big saffa from 2 years ago back, cant recall his name.

A top shelf centre would be good - To’omua was not startling this season and same for Magnay and no other options match the class of say kiwi centres. if stiles could land Kerevi I reckon he has already earned his first year pay as GM as that is sort of player need to build your backline around.

 

[dru]

I think having Stiles who has coached a fair few teams and in Japan will help sign players.

Out of interest what would be the expected difference between a DoR and GM of Rugby?

 

[Adam84]

Out of interest what would be the expected difference between a DoR and GM of Rugby?

Yeah interesting question. If you look at the QRU, Sam Cordingly fulfils a GM role which is all about roster management, contract negotiations etc and leaves all the coaching to Thorn, likewise Thorn has no interest in negotiating contracts.

I’m not sure how a DoR differs, maybe a slight structural difference; coach answers to DoR, whereas GM and Coach sit at a similar level.

 

[dru]

Yeah interesting question. If you look at the QRU, Sam Cordingly fulfils a GM role which is all about roster management, contract negotiations etc and leaves all the coaching to Thorn, likewise Thorn has no interest in negotiating contracts.

I’m not sure how a DoR differs, maybe a slight structural difference; coach answers to DoR, whereas GM and Coach sit at a similar level.

Thanks Adam. I had difficulty seeing Stiles in a DoR role, but that clarifies things. Great guy with huge rugby experience if he can find the right role. And he may well have done that.

 

[Members Section]

A top shelf centre would be good - To’omua was not startling this season and same for Magnay and no other options match the class of say kiwi centres. if stiles could land Kerevi I reckon he has already earned his first year pay as GM as that is sort of player need to build your backline around.

in a parallel universe somewhere Checks is coaching us in 2022 & Kerevi is scoring truck loads of tries with that game plan like Izzy back in the day lol.

Surely with all the spare money the tahs have & no locks on the market DC has Kerevi in his sights.

 

[Mick The Munch]

I see that Waisake Naholo has been released by London Irish, he would be a great replacement for Marika, should he stay fit of course.

 

[KevinO]

So the Rebels have just announced 8 academy members have been signed into the 2022 Super rugby squad.

Joeli Niubalavu, Patrick Lavemai, Eyda Haisila, Lebron Naea, Antonio Masina, Divad Palu, Sebastian Sialau and Daniel Maiava

 

[Tex]

Good news. Hopefully they're up to it and prove themselves, either in the Rebels or interstate. Regular game time will be an important endorsement of the pathways

 

[Adam84]

It’s great they’re recruiting locally, it’s not ideal they’re all in the U18s though.

 

[RugbyReg]

8 x 18 year olds into the full time squad? That’s a risky move I reckon.

24 players currently signed plus this 8. That will do it right?