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Melbourne Rising 2014

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elementfreak

elementfreak

Trevor Allan (34)
Guys who I think will make it:
  • Greg Bauer
  • Angus Hamilton
  • Fereti Sa'aga
  • Dan Squire
  • Dale Stevenson
  • Freddie Austin
  • Ryan O'Sullivan
  • Reuben Rolleston
  • Rennie Lautolo-Molimau
  • Chris Slade
  • Patolo Toeta
  • Joseph Kamana
  • Sefa Naivalu
  • Neil Walsh
  • +2 others
 
en_force_er

en_force_er

Geoff Shaw (53)
elementfreak said:
Yeah, however they are still able to boss the competition a bit. Slade especially still seems to have that 'time and space' that the good players have.
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Yeah, but surely the NRC is about finding a middle ground between winning and developing.

Fair call if these blokes were Melbourne raised players, but they're not. They don't tick the development or the local box really. I'm not that outraged, I just don't see this meeting the comp's key aims.
 
elementfreak

elementfreak

Trevor Allan (34)
en_force_er said:
Yeah, but surely the NRC is about finding a middle ground between winning and developing.

Fair call if these blokes were Melbourne raised players, but they're not. They don't tick the development or the local box really. I'm not that outraged, I just don't see this meeting the comp's key aims.
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To be honest I only know them as they stand out in games. I am terrible with names, especially of those guys who don't "break a game apart" so I might have missed a good workhorse in there.

Of course the local guys will depend on who is in the squad from the Rebels and what positions need filing.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
So what if they are getting on? Explain how somebody who is not as good as these players now will make the step up?
 
elementfreak

elementfreak

Trevor Allan (34)
The Melbourne Rising have announced their 33-man playing squad for the 2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC)
The Melbourne Rising, Melbourne's newest sporting team, was officially launched today following the naming of the inaugural squad.
The squad for the 2014 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC) features an allocation of Rebels and local Dewar Shield players selected from an extended training squad who have spent nearly two months under the Rising program already.
Melbourne Rising Head Coach Sean Hedger believes that the squad are capable of success in the new competition, and is pleased with the final make-up.
"We've had the opportunity to watch these local players as part of the Extended Training Squad, and are very pleased with the abilities of those selected," Hedger said. "Indeed, we have had to leave out a number of players who really impressed us.
"Selecting the final squad was a difficult task, however we are confident that the Rebels and Dewar Shield players selected are all more than capable of being a major force in this competition. It's a wonderful opportunity for every member of the squad, and I'm looking forward to getting started."
The Rebels allocation features an even spread across positions, and a great mix of both youth and experience. For the younger Rebels, the NRC provides them with the opportunity to gain greater exposure playing against hardened senior Rugby bodies, while the more experienced Rebels will prove valuable assets in assisting with the development of their teammates.
The Dewar Shield players selected in the Rising squad mirror those Rebels selections, in that there is a mix of experience and youth spread evenly across all positions. Former Rebel and Wallaby Lloyd Johansson's outstanding form sees him selected, while the likes of Joe Kamana and Martin Naufahu are also called up having impressed as part of the Rebels' pre-season schedule in 2014, where both were named in matchday squads and Kamana played against the Waratahs.
Former Australian Schoolboys representatives Angus Hamilton and Fereti Sa'aga are included, and there is room for former Sharks U21 and current Box Hill hooker Greg Bauer, from South Africa. Frank Amituanai, Shane Imo, Rennie Lautolo-Molimau, Sefanaia Naivalu, OJ Noa, Junior Paila, Reuben Rolleston, Pom Simona, Finbar Simpson, Sione Taufa and Tui Tuiatua are the other Dewar Shield players selected.
All nine Dewar Shield Clubs are represented in the squad, with Endeavour Hills, Footscray and Harlequin leading the way with six players selected apiece. There are four players selected from Melbourne Uni, three from Moorabbin and Box Hill, two apiece from Melbourne and Power House, and one player from Southern Districts Rugby Club.
Two further players will be added to the squad at a later date.
As announced earlier this week, Scott Higginbotham and Luke Jones are the allocated Wallabies in the Rising squad.
Full 2014 Melbourne Rising squad:
  • Scott Higginbotham (Back rower, Harlequin/Melbourne Rebels)* Allocated Wallaby
  • Luke Jones (Lock, Moorabbin/Melbourne Rebels)* Allocated Wallaby
  • Cruze Ah-Nau (Prop, Footscray/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Paul Alo-Emile (Prop, Power House/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Frank Amituanai (Lock, Footscray)
  • Greg Bauer (Hooker, Box Hill)
  • Jack Debreczeni (Flyhalf, Endeavour Hills/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Tom English (Wing, Melbourne Uni/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Angus Hamilton (Lock, Harlequin)
  • Shane Imo (Flyhalf, Footscray)
  • Mitch Inman (Centre, Southern Districts/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Sam Jeffries (Lock, Melbourne Uni/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Lloyd Johansson (Centre, Harlequin)
  • Joe Kamana (Wing, Moorabbin)
  • Rennie Lautolo-Molimau (Fullback, Endeavour Hills)
  • Pat Leafa (Hooker, Box Hill/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Sean McMahon (Back rower, Endeavour Hills/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Sefanaia Naivalu (Centre, Box Hill)
  • Martin Naufahu (Flyhalf, Foostcray/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Cadeyrn Neville (Lock, Footscray/Melbourne Rebels)
  • OJ Noa (Back rower, Harlequin)
  • Junior Paila (Scrumhalf, Endeavour Hills)
  • Reuben Rolleston (Back rower, Endeavour Hills)
  • Fereti Sa'aga (Prop, Melbourne Uni)
  • Tom Sexton (Hooker, Power House/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Pom Simona (Back rower, Harlequin)
  • Finbar Simpson (Prop, Melbourne)
  • Toby Smith (Prop, Melbourne Uni/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Nic Stirzaker (Scrumhalf, Endeavour Hills/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Sione Taufa (Back rower, Harlequin/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Lopeti Timani (Back rower, Footscray/Melbourne Rebels)
  • Tui Tuiatua (Prop, Moorabbin)
  • Telusa Veainu (Wing, Melbourne/Melbourne Rebels)
To view detailed player bios for each member of the squad, click here.
All 2015 contracted Rebels who are not in the Melbourne Rising squad are either playing abroad, on the current Rebels injured list or will play for another NRC side.
Season tickets are on sale for the 2014 Melbourne Rising campaign; click here to purchase yours, from just $46.
Click here to see the full 2014 Melbourne Rising fixture.
 
Highlander35

Highlander35

Andrew Slack (58)
Not a lot of surprises there TBH. Was always 50/50 on Burgo and Stirzaker. The Beef and Laurie playing in NSW. Anyone else missing?

EDIT: On the club POV, no Dale Stevenson, Chris Slade or Dan Squire.
 
kiap

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
elementfreak said:
http://instagram.com/p/q20ExyuBN4/

Jersey
Click to expand...

Stade Melbournaise

ndK5DEb.jpg
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
So Ryan O'Sullivan was the player I mentioned that was profiled but didn't make it. Very disappoint him considering he showed Jordy Reid up in a well beaten Uni side in regular season and is probably one of the best loose forwards running around the competition.

Unfortunately looking like a rugby player is more important than playing like one for some.
 
MACCA

MACCA

Ron Walden (29)
Train Without a Station said:
So Ryan O'Sullivan was the player I mentioned that was profiled but didn't make it. Very disappoint him considering he showed Jordy Reid up in a well beaten Uni side in regular season and is probably one of the best loose forwards running around the competition.

Unfortunately looking like a rugby player is more important than playing like one for some.
Click to expand...

Or being in the "clique" might be more important...
 
en_force_er

en_force_er

Geoff Shaw (53)
Decent squad make-up, Melbourne Unicorns will rightly feel like this is a slap to the face to their program which is easily the 2nd best in Vic after Quins.

Surprised to see so many boys from Endeavour, Footscray not so much because they have a great team on paper but have had an injury ridden season.
 
OneOrThree

OneOrThree

Herbert Moran (7)
Smith, Laefa, PAE, Neville, Jones, McMahon, Noa(??), Higgers, Stirzaker, Jack D, English, Johansson, Inman, Kamana, Veainu. RES: Bauer (no Sexton yet), Ah-Nau, Sa'aga, Jeffries, Timani, Palia, Naufahu,
Naivalu​
 
Highlander35

Highlander35

Andrew Slack (58)
1. Toby Smith
2. Pat Leafa
3. Paul Alo-Emile
4. Sam Jeffries
5. Caydern Neville
6. Luke Jones
7. Sean McMahon
8. Scott Higgenbotham

9. Nic Stirzaker
10. Jack Debreczeni
11. Telusa Veianu
12. Mitch Inman
13. Tom English
14.
15.

16. Tom Sexton
17.
18. Cruze Ah-Nau
19.
20. Lopeti Timani
21.
22.
23.

Awesome Base to work with. Obvious inclusions are a Prop, either a Lock or a Backrower (Depending on if Jones is a Blindside or a Lock), then 5 backs, mostly outside ones, plus a scrummie.

At this point, I'd be thinking that Fereti Sa'aga, Angus Hamilton, Joe Kamana and Sefanaiu Naivalu would be some of the Front runners for those spots.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
Melbourne probably has one of the best programs but really lacks a lot of exceptional talent capable of going any further. They're generally well drilled, physically mature.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
I wouldn't be surprised to see Sexton starting over Laefa.
 
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