Rock Lobster
Larry Dwyer (12)
Excellent tribute Daz. I had the absolute pleasure of sharing a few beers with Mitch at a social occasion a couple of months ago and can vouch for everything you've said. Quality bloke.
Rebels 2017
- Thread starter Highlander35
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Proud Pig
Ted Thorn (20)
I have not registered for the lap and will not.
If this ends up being the rebels last game I do not see it as a celebration but as a slap in the face for those of us that have been there from the start.
Before the Rebels started up I was a fan of Super rugby going to many a Tahs game and supporting them. I was however always a Melbourne boy at heart having spent many of my formative years down south. I moved back from NSW about nine years ago to look after my father who was sick. He was also a foundation member but is no longer with us. So the idea that Melbourne was to get their own Super Rugby team was a thing of great joy to me being a great fan of the game and having played for many of my younger years.
I am a lover of the game but also a fan of the AFL. If this is the last game for the Rebels then from next year I will switch my allegiance totally to my selected AFL club and refuse to support Super Rugby in any way.
My reasons for this is very simple, the cutting of a team signals to me that the ARU is purely interested in overseeing the death of the professional game in Australia. The ARU seems to want to go back to the glory days of amateur rugby while retaining a professional code. This is simply not possible the game in Australia must adapt or die. We cannot compete for player retention while Europe and Japan can pay so much more to our players and in order for the Australian sides to be able to pay more the revenue the game produces needs to increase. The only way to get more money into the game is through television audiences but that cannot be achieved if half of the games played are in inhospitable time-slots. Rugby needs to become a product that the public wants to consume. That means embracing all sectors of society and not just the classic private school and silver spoon sect which has been the ARUs target audience for so long. Rugby has deliberately fostered an elitist attitude which was at one stage a differentiating factor for the game but now is hurting the game by limiting its appeal.
Rugby cannot hope to survive through contraction only through expansion. Neither the Melbourne Rebels nor the Western Force should be on the chopping block as these are two areas of significant growth within Australian and for the health of rugby it needs to tap into these growth areas.
I will go to the game and if they happen to survive I will renew my membership next year. I am however under no illusions that my side will survive long term as I fear for the game in this country. It is a simple choice either the game goes all out to compete with the other codes in Australia by expanding its competition and its appeal or it goes the opposite approach and becomes a principally amateur game again and accept that the best Australian players will either go overseas or to league. A direction is needed the status quo is simply sounding a death knell for the game.
Sorry for the rant.
If this ends up being the rebels last game I do not see it as a celebration but as a slap in the face for those of us that have been there from the start.
Before the Rebels started up I was a fan of Super rugby going to many a Tahs game and supporting them. I was however always a Melbourne boy at heart having spent many of my formative years down south. I moved back from NSW about nine years ago to look after my father who was sick. He was also a foundation member but is no longer with us. So the idea that Melbourne was to get their own Super Rugby team was a thing of great joy to me being a great fan of the game and having played for many of my younger years.
I am a lover of the game but also a fan of the AFL. If this is the last game for the Rebels then from next year I will switch my allegiance totally to my selected AFL club and refuse to support Super Rugby in any way.
My reasons for this is very simple, the cutting of a team signals to me that the ARU is purely interested in overseeing the death of the professional game in Australia. The ARU seems to want to go back to the glory days of amateur rugby while retaining a professional code. This is simply not possible the game in Australia must adapt or die. We cannot compete for player retention while Europe and Japan can pay so much more to our players and in order for the Australian sides to be able to pay more the revenue the game produces needs to increase. The only way to get more money into the game is through television audiences but that cannot be achieved if half of the games played are in inhospitable time-slots. Rugby needs to become a product that the public wants to consume. That means embracing all sectors of society and not just the classic private school and silver spoon sect which has been the ARUs target audience for so long. Rugby has deliberately fostered an elitist attitude which was at one stage a differentiating factor for the game but now is hurting the game by limiting its appeal.
Rugby cannot hope to survive through contraction only through expansion. Neither the Melbourne Rebels nor the Western Force should be on the chopping block as these are two areas of significant growth within Australian and for the health of rugby it needs to tap into these growth areas.
I will go to the game and if they happen to survive I will renew my membership next year. I am however under no illusions that my side will survive long term as I fear for the game in this country. It is a simple choice either the game goes all out to compete with the other codes in Australia by expanding its competition and its appeal or it goes the opposite approach and becomes a principally amateur game again and accept that the best Australian players will either go overseas or to league. A direction is needed the status quo is simply sounding a death knell for the game.
Sorry for the rant.
D
daz
Guest
Last Rebels game of the year coming up this Friday. If I'm absolutely honest, I'm looking forward to the season coming to a halt as it has been pretty bloody bad for all concerned.
Looking forward to a bit of NRC action though, and hoping the Rising do some regional roadshows. Love an excuse for a road-trip!
Then, the boys are back into pre-season and we re-load for 2018.
Looking forward to a bit of NRC action though, and hoping the Rising do some regional roadshows. Love an excuse for a road-trip!
Then, the boys are back into pre-season and we re-load for 2018.
GoMelbRebels
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
D
daz
Guest
Geez, I wish they would play anywhere but fucking Quins and Frankston.
So much for a Vic regional roadtrip!
So much for a Vic regional roadtrip!
lou75
Ron Walden (29)
I recall they did take one to Geelong a while ago - I think that worked well
D
daz
Guest
It did, except being an AFL stadium, the action was over the horizon, and the attendance gate would not have covered the stadium fee.
GoMelbRebels
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
I quite enjoyed the trip to Morwell for the Rams game in 2015. A nice little stadium, perfect for NRC.
D
daz
Guest
^^^ That was a great day out. More please.
amirite
Chilla Wilson (44)
Haha that's a bit far west but it was a nice event.
I more mean are there any nice soccer stadiums we can borrow out in Sunshine or Altona.
Mr Wobbly
Alan Cameron (40)
Agree but, local footy finals were on - the locals seemed to not even notice there was a rugby game in town. I reckon 90% of the few hundred people that turned up drove there from Melbourne.
I'd like to see them put a game on in Bendigo or Ballarat. Both towns have rugby teams.
RedsHappy
Tony Shaw (54)
I see the latest Payto & Panda speculation is that soon Cox will exit the 'financially draining' Rebels, transfer licence to the 'Govt-backed' VRU..........and ARU will support all this in part as Cox will quid pro quo drop his damages suit vs the ARU:
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...e/news-story/d67ff8081dbd9844e9689d98aa5a2d08
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...e/news-story/d67ff8081dbd9844e9689d98aa5a2d08
B
BLR
Guest
I don't trust them as far as I could throw them as they are well known ARU mouthpieces, but this WOULD explain the dropping of the mediation.
Mr Wobbly
Alan Cameron (40)
AFL_Converted
Billy Sheehan (19)
lou75
Ron Walden (29)
he likes to run with the hares and hunt with the hounds and let me tell you , imo, there are too many like him in rugby at the moment
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