Rebels 2018

[Rebel man]

yeah but dont bother

Yeah I saw the scores it didn’t look great still keen to watch it to see how they went. Will the replay be on the Rebels website or will I have to find it elsewhere?

 

[GoMelbRebels]

Yeah I saw the scores it didn’t look great still keen to watch it to see how they went. Will the replay be on the Rebels website or will I have to find it elsewhere?

It’s normally available for replay after the live stream. Maybe check back at the Brumbies and / or Rebels FB page later on.

 

[Rebels3]

Just reading through the comments here.

I watched the game earlier and overall not overly worried. At the end of the day it was a trial match. I’d be more interested to see the mentality of the players in the 10s this week and then into the Tahs trial. If there was a few things to take from the game it was the lack of contact dominance in the forwards when compared to the brumbies. Admittedly there was some notable exemptions like Uelese and Cotteral but overall their forwards won more extra meters in contact and therefore won more front foot ball than the Rebels.

I am yet to be convinced that Maddocks has the attributes for a 10, he is/will be an absolute gun 15 but there is nothing to suggest he could be a 10 and today showed that. When JD came on, we looked so much better and organized. 12 is an issue as well, Horwitz could be a nice fit with the right 10 next to him, but the Rebels options at 10 I think require someone that can straighten the attack more or at least some sort of ability to get over the gain line if needed.

Overall not overly worried. The set piece was good, fitness looked fine and the fight was there, it’s just the combinations weren’t there and decision making was poor which are all things that will come in time with understanding the game plan but more importantly understanding the team mates natural lines and patterns.

How good is rugby season

 

[Tackennut]

The border (NSW) areas do tend to be open to other sports like rugby due to exposure to the "other" game through proximity.

The other regions are on the outer fringe of Melbourne which going back 20yrs were AFL heartland. With the expansion of Melbourne these areas are essentially suburbs of Melbourne which now facilitate more diversity including in sports opening up opportunity.

The key issue is that the rural communities generally are tight knit and AFL is almost akin to a mix of religion and a business enterprise that provides an identity for some towns.

Its not hard to look at the NRL with its big war chest full of $$$ or even the ABL before the MLB its cut ties. They confined their primary marketing to the greater Melbourne area even though there are some teams and competitions in the country regions.

There is no ROI from the country regions for rugby. What benefits do you derive from people who are unlikely to do any more than have a look at an occasional game on TV as they live several hours away?

In Melbourne and surrounds, the population is notorious for going and watching any sports that is being played. Why would you invest time or money outside of this catchment area?

I think Rugby, and in this case the Rebels need to decide if they are a commercial venture looking for support for a team, or a group of missionaries on a crusade to spread the "rugby" gospel to those in distant parts.

I was just interested in your discussion. I grew up in Warragul and 3 of the best areas that then VFL drew players from was Ballarat, Bendigo and Latrobe Valley leagues. If you look at the successful VFL teams they were assigned those zones to recruit players from Latrobe Valley was Hawthorns zone from late 60's - the point I'm trying to make is it's well worth targeting those areas now they are much more open to other sports than previously and there is a huge focus on local investment so if the Rebels can make an impact it's likely they will get local support. If the Ballarat experiment works then they should target Latrobe Valley next it produces huge amount of talent. There is a reason Hawthorn was unbeatable for so many years and Latrobe Valley was the talent pool the made it possible - be great for rugby to turn those areas


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[swingpass]

interesting selections for the 10's

Melbourne Rebels Men’s Squad
Jock Armstrong
Duncan Chubb
Jack Debreczeni
Colby Fainga’a
Sam Figg
Adam Freier
Will Genia*
Harrison Goddard
Esei Ha’angana
David Horwitz
Trevor Hosea
Henry Hutchison
Latu Latunipulu
Sama Malolo
Tom Moloney
Hunter Paisami
Rowan Perry
Kitione Ratu
Dom Shipperley
Alex Toolis
Andrew Tuala
Sione Tuipulotu
Ikapote Tupai
Semisi Tupou
Mahe Vailanu
Sam Ward
*Subject to fitness

only half the squad are contracted Rebels
4 (5?) form NSW Country NRC

 

[GoMelbRebels]

interesting selections for the 10's

Melbourne Rebels Men’s Squad
Jock Armstrong
Duncan Chubb
Jack Debreczeni
Colby Fainga’a
Sam Figg
Adam Freier
Will Genia*
Harrison Goddard
Esei Ha’angana
David Horwitz
Trevor Hosea
Henry Hutchison
Latu Latunipulu
Sama Malolo
Tom Moloney
Hunter Paisami
Rowan Perry
Kitione Ratu
Dom Shipperley
Alex Toolis
Andrew Tuala
Sione Tuipulotu
Ikapote Tupai
Semisi Tupou
Mahe Vailanu
Sam Ward
*Subject to fitness

only half the squad are contracted Rebels

Genia subject to fitness. Hmmmmm.... Anyway, not too surprised by lack of Wallabies. Good to see Ratu in there, he should do well in the 10s format, as will Hutchison.

 

[Highlander35]

That's a side that says we are participating in this event, and not much else, particularly given we play what I guess will be a full squad trial 4 days later.

 

[Rebels3]

Not going to lie, I was hoping for a little bit better squad than this for next week. Don’t have any real interest in watching non rebels or non rising players participate. Armstrong, Chubb, Figg, Malolo, Perry, Vailanu, Tuala, Vailanu and Ward I question their involvement, not as in their quality but just their association. Would rather give the guys in the squad that don’t have much of a chance in playing this season unless injuries are around or young guys gaining experience so they’d get maximum game time. I’d much rather a smaller squad of 17/18 players and make them tough it out

 

[Brumby Runner]

It does seem odd to have so many blow-ins when the club is in a rebuilding phase, trying to integrate two separate Super Rugby squads into one entity. I would have thought the emphasis at this time would have been to get as many of the contracted (perhaps not Wallabies) players on the field together.

 

[amirite]

Turns out the Rebels uncontracted squad players are worse than the Brumbies starting XV. Nothing to see here, I hope the Rebels coaches got what they were looking for from that trial, because it was a bit strange.

 

[mst]

Turns out the Rebels uncontracted squad players are worse than the Brumbies starting XV. Nothing to see here, I hope the Rebels coaches got what they were looking for from that trial, because it was a bit strange.

Starting XV? We had at least 5 starting players out. But glad you thought it looked like our starting XV. Shows the depth we have the development that non-contracted players have been getting over the recent past (finally).

 

[mst]

interesting selections for the 10's

Melbourne Rebels Men’s Squad
Jock Armstrong
Duncan Chubb
Jack Debreczeni
Colby Fainga’a
Sam Figg
Adam Freier
Will Genia*
Harrison Goddard
Esei Ha’angana
David Horwitz
Trevor Hosea
Henry Hutchison
Latu Latunipulu
Sama Malolo
Tom Moloney
Hunter Paisami
Rowan Perry
Kitione Ratu
Dom Shipperley
Alex Toolis
Andrew Tuala
Sione Tuipulotu
Ikapote Tupai
Semisi Tupou
Mahe Vailanu
Sam Ward
*Subject to fitness

only half the squad are contracted Rebels
4 (5?) form NSW Country NRC

Maybe the Rebels should buy some more players?

 

[GoMelbRebels]

Maybe the Rebels should buy some more players?

Well, it’s good to have Adam Freier on board again!

 

[mst]

Finally money well spent! He will make a great starting 10.

I have to say after seeing some of your un-contracted players and ring-ins in the trial, by seasons end there may be question about how money was spent and why.

 

[Boof1050]

Finally money well spent! He will make a great starting 10.

I have to say after seeing some of your un-contracted players and ring-ins in the trial, by seasons end there may be question about how money was spent and why.

Why start questioning it now?

 

[amirite]

Starting XV? We had at least 5 starting players out. But glad you thought it looked like our starting XV. Shows the depth we have the development that non-contracted players have been getting over the recent past (finally).

5 off the starting XV vs Uncontracted Rebels players is an interesting win to brag about for our nation's capital.

 

[GoMelbRebels]

5 off the starting XV vs Uncontracted Rebels players is an interesting win to brag about for our nation's capital.

Let’s save bragging until the season proper. Then there are no excuses.

 

[Brumby Runner]

5 off the starting XV vs Uncontracted Rebels players is an interesting win to brag about for our nation's capital.

Amirite, under-estimate the Brumbies at your peril. At least 7 regular starters did not start the trial on Saturday; Sio, Mann-Rea, Pocock, Powell, Lealiifano, Peni, Kuridrani. Of those, only Joe Powell had a later involvement. That is a lot of improvement yet to come into the side. Undoubtedly, the Rebels will also be strengthened when your top players are brought in. But adding Coleman, Timani, Mafi, Genia, Hodge, Koriobete and Naivalu is unlikely to improve the side any more than the additions yet to come into the Brumbies. Have I missed anyone of note?

 

[GoMelbRebels]

Amirite, under-estimate the Brumbies at your peril. At least 7 regular starters did not start the trial on Saturday; Sio, Mann-Rea, Pocock, Powell, Lealiifano, Peni, Kuridrani. Of those, only Joe Powell had a later involvement. That is a lot of improvement yet to come into the side. Undoubtedly, the Rebels will also be strengthened when your top players are brought in. But adding Coleman, Timani, Mafi, Genia, Hodge, Koriobete and Naivalu is unlikely to improve the side any more than the additions yet to come into the Brumbies. Have I missed anyone of note?

Brag about trial performances at your peril. In 2014 the Rebels won 3/3 in their trials. Super Rugby proper? Wooden spoon. I don’t expect that result for the Brumbies (indeed I think they are front-runners to win the Aussie conference), but let’s just wait and see rather than play “my Dad is bigger than your Dad).

 

[amirite]

Amirite, under-estimate the Brumbies at your peril. At least 7 regular starters did not start the trial on Saturday; Sio, Mann-Rea, Pocock, Powell, Lealiifano, Peni, Kuridrani. Of those, only Joe Powell had a later involvement. That is a lot of improvement yet to come into the side. Undoubtedly, the Rebels will also be strengthened when your top players are brought in. But adding Coleman, Timani, Mafi, Genia, Hodge, Koriobete and Naivalu is unlikely to improve the side any more than the additions yet to come into the Brumbies. Have I missed anyone of note?

Firstly, I never underestimated anything, you're strawmaning.

Secondly, I do believe adding Daley, Sa’aga, Rangi, Ainsley, Weeks , Parling, Coleman, Timani, Mafi, RHP, Genia, Koribete, Meakes, Hodge and Naivalu to our 23 will improve us a lot. More than your additions? On sheer numbers, yes (though you missed plenty of good players too).

Thirdly, it's not even who played but how long they played. The 4 front rowers that played most of the Rebels game are currently uncontracted (and one played mostly #7). The Rebels stripped out most of our key players 1/3 into the game - whereas most of the Brumbies boys played 2/3. For goodness sake, Hunter Paisani played most of the game and he's an uncontracted 19YO. That's not to mention starting the uncontracted Box Hill winger.