Rebels 2015

[Highlander35]

Beat the Force and one of thè Saffa sides and we're good for the season.

Then it'll be the NRC again. I wonder how we'll do it this time, last year was more or less get the best, but with a better development program, and a couple of last years boys not being around, what will be the 15-20 man top up party.

 

[swingpass]

Well, this weekend went entirely opposite to how I was hoping it would go.

Bugger it.

Still, one or two more scalps and a full NRC program should be a good entry to a positive 2016. The bar and expectations have now been set high.

reality - expectation = joy or disappointment

 

[Tangawizi]

I see you guys have copped Stu Berry as ref this week.

Does anyone know where to find stats on referees? Trying to work out if he's as biased as I think towards the SA teams.

 

[swingpass]

I see you guys have copped Stu Berry as ref this week.

Does anyone know where to find stats on referees? Trying to work out if he's as biased as I think towards the SA teams.

yeah, the tail end of the season is looking increasingly difficult.

i think he more incompetent than biased, just so easily influenced by the crowd, the local TV directors "replays", the home team captain and the AR's

 

[Brumby Runner]

My advice fwiw is don't be the first side to do something wrong at scrum set. He seems to be more intent on awarding immediate penalties than resetting scrums. As I've said before, I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing.

 

[KevinO]

Rebels Squad to tour South Africa. No real surprises, two uncapped players. Cam Crawford and Keita Inagaki.

http://melbournerebels.com.au/news/article/two-uncapped-rebels-in-south-african-touring-squad

 

[Tex]

Last week was all a bad dream, right?

 

[oztimmay]

Last week was all a bad dream, right?

No. Sadly Sir Texas it was not. The Lager on Friday tried to tell me otherwise, but it failed.

But here's the good news: from this moment forward it's another opportunity to take our chances and kick some saffa arse! It won't be easy, but if we fix up the fuckups from last week I'm sure we can have a track. We failed in our usually good ruck defense and our backline defensive alignment went awry when Tamati went off the field (didn't pinpoint when that happened). This stuff I think we can address.

 

[daz]

The good news, if there was any from last weekend, was that it wasn't a failing in a specific area, or a lack of capability in certain positions.

Almost the entire team just didn't turn up. I suggest they got ahead of themselves and thought the win was in the bag, and I remain convinced it was all between the ears.

Sadly, in this comp even the cellar dwellers can inflict pain when they get fired up, and once we got on the back foot we couldn't recover.

You could see it in our defence; constantly being pushed backwards and being pressured by the ball carriers. We stopped rushing up to put the pressure back on the Reds, which we have done so well in other games this year.

I expect a much better showing this weekend, but it does show that while the Rebels have matured in 2015, they still have much to learn, Grasshopper.

 

[swingpass]

i have only have my impression of the game in real time, i couldn't bring myself to watch a replay. IMO the difference was in the way the breakdown was refereed and the Rebels inability to adapt. the were a number of times when Reid, McMahon, Faainga and others had their hands on the ball in defending, in other weeks they are either allowed to win the ball or won a penalty, on saturday, Lees allowed the attacking team a shit load of time to secure possession, penalised the defenders for hands in the ruck, and allowed much more freedom to the team in possession. as a result when the reds got a run on it was almost impossible to get a turnover to stem the tide. the few times the rebels had possession they coughed it up. it was similar in the last 10 mins when the Rebels had the ball.

 

[Braveheart81]

Interesting that the Rebels have signed both Hanson and Siliva for next year.

Seems like they won't be keeping many of their 2015 hookers.

 

[Highlander35]

Whittaker and Sexton both gone then.

 

[oztimmay]

Odd one for me. Scenarios playing out in my mind:

- Tom Sexton is off home after limited opportunities.
- Silvia Silvia deal has fallen through, or he is not going to play through chronic injury
- Pat Leafa is off somewhere, perhaps QLD but maybe back home to NSW to possibly cover for a possible TPN retirement.

Internet, do your thang...

 

[oztimmay]

P.S I always Nathan Whittaker was off at the end of season.

 

[Highlander35]

Sexton is off contract and has been underwhelming. Unless something is wrong with Siliva, I'd expect it to be him, Pat and Chibba.

If my math is right the following are off contract:

Sexton*
Whittaker*
Inagaki (Japan)
PAE (France)
Gillespie
Metcher
Neville (Reds)
Samo*
Higgers (Japan)
Burgess (Italy)
Hegarty
Telusa*
Kingston*

With those confirmed off having a location, and a * against those I don't expect to be retained.

 

[Tomikin]

Sexton is off contract and has been underwhelming. Unless something is wrong with Siliva, I'd expect it to be him, Pat and Chibba.

If my math is right the following are off contract:

Sexton*
Whittaker*
Inagaki (Japan)
PAE (France)
Gillespie
Metcher
Neville (Reds)
Samo*
Higgers (Japan)
Burgess (Italy)
Hegarty
Telusa*
Kingston*

With those confirmed off having a location, and a * against those I don't expect to be retained.

You'd want a back up for Siliva his been a Brumby for as long as I can remember but been in team rehab.. I hope he comes good and think a change of location may be the trick as I think his the best of them.

 

[daz]

No disrespect to Pat, and I accept he is getting better with time, but it will be a huge gap filler to have an experienced and more than competent hooker.

Great signing, Rebels.

 

[KevinO]

Hegarty
Telusa*
Kingston*

With those confirmed off having a location, and a * against those I don't expect to be retained.

Would Keep Hegarty over Telusa and Kingston. Think one of Telusa and Kingston will leave, would think it will be Kingston as his had his fair share of bad luck down here. Will have to head overseas as I can't see him getting another gig in Australia.

 

[Highlander35]

Yeah, I want to keep Hegarty, and don't expect both Kingston and Telusa to stay. Both could go as well. With AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Betham, Lance and Naiyaravoro leaving the tahs, and Carraro being shit, Kingston may be a decent option for the Tahs to try and grab back. Telusa just hasn't had the opportunity despite good NRC form, and so either a move North, or a move home would be best for him if we chose not to retain.

 

[Lindommer]

CARRARO BEING SHIT! WTF? Have you seen him play for the Tahs this year, H35? He's played bloody well.