Rebels 2018

[GoMelbRebels]

But it would’ve been the same coaching staff, same team (potentially worse roster) and likely same results.. different jersey.

Don’t come up with logical responses like this.

 

[oztimmay]

I'll be only too happy to move on once this dirty deal and all those involved have been exposed and cleansed from the game.
That's the only hope for Rugby Union to move forward in Australia.

Dirty deal? It seems like the scenario played out like so:

• April 10 - ARU/RA annouced that either Force/Rebels would be cut/chopped.
• April 16 - MRRU responded, denying ARU/RA the ability to cut/chop the Melbourne Rebels. In this statement, the MRRU note: "Patently through no fault of our own MRRU has suffered significant damage (financial, reputation, commercial and personal) by the ARU’s handling of this whole process and its unnecessary public statements and actions. Given these actions MRRU has notified the ARU of its intention to seek compensation and at this time has reserved all rights." For a reminder of the whole statement, read here
• Between April 16 and August 4 - Appears that both the ARU/RA, and Cox/Sidwell have settled their legal grievances, resulting in the payment of compensation. Through the deed of settlement, its appears Cox/Sidwell have use the settlement to pay off MRRU debts.
• August 4 - with the monies received in settlement, together with "gifts" provided by Lindsey Cattemole and Bob Dalziel, MRRU become debt free. This allowed Andrew Cox to exercise the put option in the contract, and execute the sale of the MRRU to the VRU for $1.

This so-called "dirty deal" looks more like RA attempting to avoid another massive legal headache with Cox/Sidwell. On the face of it, seems like they would have had a fairly strong legal case.

 

[swingpass]

^^^^^ This exactly what took place. RA got out of it for $ 500K (plus all the previous $$$ to Cox et al, yes, yes, yes, i know) much less than the protracted and costly legal battle that would have ensued if MRRU had sued RA for damages. in the end RA cut the team that they could, simple as that.

 

[Tex]

The Western Force really didn't have a chance!​

​

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/we.-ng-b88806001z​

RA aid saved Rebels​

The Sunday Times - Perth - 15 Apr 2018 - NICK TAYLOR​

RUGBY Australia money helped clear the debt that saved the Melbourne Rebels and effectively signed the Western Force’s Super Rugby death warrant.​

The revelation comes after this week’s RA announcement of a $3.8m loss for 2017, citing the messy axing of the Force as one of the factors.​

Confidential documents obtained by The Sunday Times show the Australian Rugby Union — now RA — agreed to pay former Rebels owner, New Zealand businessman Andrew Cox, $300,000 and then-director Peter Sidwell $200,000.​

The money was then paid to the Rebels.​

The payments, contained in a Deed of Settlement Release, relate to “disputes” with the Rebels over RA’s threats to axe the Rebels and directs the money to the Melbournebased club.​

The documents also state two other directors Lyndsey Cattermole and Bob Dalziel “gift” the Rebels $250,000 each. The combined amounts effectively cleared the Rebels debt of $789,811 that allowed Cox to sell the club to the Victorian Rugby Union for $1 under a Put Option agreement, effectively spelling the end of the Force as the Rebels could then not be closed.​

The document says, among others, Cox and Sidwell “had suffered loss and damage as a result of statements alleged to have been made by or on behalf of the ARU on and from 10 April 2017”.​

On April 10, RA chairman Cameron Clyne said a decision on which team would be cut would be made after consultation with the Force and rebels.​

Four days later the Rebels issued a statement saying they “unequivocally” rejected that RA could “chop or cut” the club and had notified it of its intention to seek compensation.​

The deed of settlement says Cox and Sidwell: “. respectively direct that the respective payments to them be paid to MRRUPL for the purposes of MRRUPL satisfying the Debt Free Requirement and MRRUPL agrees that these payments will be used solely for this purpose”.​

It also says Cattermole and Dalziel promise to the ARU “. they have each gifted $250,000 to MRRUPL for the purpose of MRRUPL satisfying the Debt Free requirement and MRRUPL agrees that these gifted amounts will be solely for this purpose”.​

Cox used the put option and sold 11,625,000 Rebels shares to the VRU on August 4 for $1.​

RA and the Rebels did not respond to questions.​

A fantastic outcome and one that I praise loudly.

 

[Tex]

Like, I don't really mean to be so dismissive of this, but what exactly are you hoping to get from a bunch of fans in Melbourne? Do you think we're going to suddenly come around to your perspective and petition RA and Rugby Victoria to give their licence to WA?

For the record: the process was ugly but the outcome was fantastic. I would have preferred we didn't go down this path, but seeing as we did, I'm stoked that the Rebels' legal position made it easier to keep us in the comp.

We've got other fish to fry. Does Goddard get recalled from the junior Wallabies for the trip to SA?

 

[Rebels3]

As much as i'd love the Force to be around and agree their treatment was classless, to try and beat this story up is clutching at straws. Essentially this was a payout in order to avoid other legal ramifications of anywhere between 6-10mil in damages that they were threatening to sue the ARU for, plus add legal costs which could be anywhere between another 500k-1/2mil as we have seen from the Force legal case.

That's all that needs to be said about this.

Now how ordinary was the team on Saturday is what should be discussed.

 

[GoMelbRebels]

We've got other fish to fry. Does Goddard get recalled from the junior Wallabies for the trip to SA?

Goddard has to be recalled, which is a shame in a way, I hope he can rejoin the Jnr. Wallabies afterwards. Let’s not forget the halfback disaster from last year’s Sth. Africa tour. We don’t want to have another flanker filling in at scrum half.

 

[Braveheart81]

Goddard has to be recalled, which is a shame in a way, I hope he can rejoin the Jnr. Wallabies afterwards. Let’s not forget the halfback disaster from last year’s Sth. Africa tour. We don’t want to have another flanker filling in at scrum half.

Will Miller is our emergency halfback now mate.

 

[GoMelbRebels]

Will Miller is our emergency halfback now mate.

Damnit! Though I wish we still had Miller.

 

[Tex]

Squad for SA, including Goddard. A bit less depth in the backline - let's pray for no injuries.

Forwards:
Adam Coleman (C)
Amanaki Mafi
Anaru Rangi
Angus Cottrell
Colby Fainga’a
Fereti Sa’aga
Geoff Parling
Jermaine Ainsley
Jordan Uelese
Lopeti Timani
Matt Philip
Pone Fa’amausili
Richard Hardwick
Ross Haylett-Petty
Sam Talakai
Sama Malolo
Tetera Faulkner

Backs:
Billy Meakes
Dane Haylett-Petty
Harrison Goddard
Jack Debreczeni
Jack Maddocks
Marika Koroibete
Michael Ruru
Reece Hodge
Sefa Naivalu
Tom English

 

[Killer]

As much as i'd love the Force to be around and agree their treatment was classless, to try and beat this story up is clutching at straws. Essentially this was a payout in order to avoid other legal ramifications of anywhere between 6-10mil in damages that they were threatening to sue the ARU for, plus add legal costs which could be anywhere between another 500k-1/2mil as we have seen from the Force legal case.

That's all that needs to be said about this.

Now how ordinary was the team on Saturday is what should be discussed.

no way. Cox wanted out before the rapidly approaching time arrived when he had to actually start putting up his own money.
There is no way someone like cox would settle for 300k when millions were up for grabs.
RA had him over a barrel. They just came up with a solution that suited clyne and clarke's agenda.
We are just back again, imo, to the administrators finding the best way for them to keep their snouts in the trough at the expense of rugby in australia.

 

[oztimmay]

Squad for SA, including Goddard. A bit less depth in the backline - let's pray for no injuries.

Forwards:
Adam Coleman (C)
Amanaki Mafi
Anaru Rangi
Angus Cottrell
Colby Fainga’a
Fereti Sa’aga
Geoff Parling
Jermaine Ainsley
Jordan Uelese
Lopeti Timani
Matt Philip
Pone Fa’amausili
Richard Hardwick
Ross Haylett-Petty
Sam Talakai
Sama Malolo
Tetera Faulkner

Backs:
Billy Meakes
Dane Haylett-Petty
Harrison Goddard
Jack Debreczeni
Jack Maddocks
Marika Koroibete
Michael Ruru
Reece Hodge
Sefa Naivalu
Tom English

So it appears that Genia (Hamstring) and Daley (???) are joining team rehab for the next few weeks.

I'm honestly surprised to see Hardwick on the list. T He knock he got on Saturday didn't look (or sound) that good. I could hear it from where I was sitting.

 

[Tex]

Yeah I thought he was going to be a stretcher case for sure. Can't mess around with head injuries - just sit the bloke out for a month.

Side note: Nicky Winmar has been in the news recently and he referred to his ongoing problems with headaches, dizziness and the like, which he attributes to concussions during his playing career. Pretty scary considering he's 55 or something and the impacts are still plaguing him.

 

[jimmydubs]

A fantastic outcome and one that I praise loudly.

Yes it’s a fantastic outcome.
Instead of the team that was sending the ARU bankrupt being allowed to go bankrupt this fortunate turn of events occurs, all of which was publicly denied remember. ‘We have no idea if they’ve exercised the put option’ when the ARU were paying the money and stipulating in a deed for it to occur!
Awesome. Game is run by crooked shitheads. Great outcome.
Now as the Rebels go broke again and get back on the RA teat let’s celebrate that Melbourne have a team as we watch the ribs start to show on the RA cow as it is truly sucked dry.
You know I’d love Toowoomba to have a Super Rugby team. I think they could do it at a slower loss rate than Melbourne but you know what I’d prefer that there is no fucking Toowoomba Super team if that meant rugby in this country could survive and grow.
How myopic can you get.

 

[Rebelsfan]

Has anyone seen Sione Tuipulotu around the traps lately ? Haven't seen him play for a while, not sure why

 

[Tex]

Has anyone seen Sione Tuipulotu around the traps lately ? Haven't seen him play for a while, not sure why

He was in the grandstand on Saturday.

 

[swingpass]

Has anyone seen Sione Tuipulotu around the traps lately ? Haven't seen him play for a while, not sure why

training the house down, fully fit, but like Horwitz, not required as yet. One of my biggest concerns now with this enormous squad is that players like Sione, Semi Tupou, McGregor, Adams, Leota (who has been injured) are not going to get the occasional game off the bench to continue their development. the younger quartet of Hosea, Ha'angana, Goodard and Malolo will at least get some game time with the OZ 20's. Personally i think Sione T should be in the 23 and getting 15 -20 at outside centre.

 

[GoMelbRebels]

training the house down, fully fit, but like Horwitz, not required as yet. One of my biggest concerns now with this enormous squad is that players like Sione, Semi Tupou, McGregor, Adams, Leota (who has been injured) are not going to get the occasional game off the bench to continue their development. the younger quartet of Hosea, Ha'angana, Goodard and Malolo will at least get some game time with the OZ 20's. Personally i think Sione T should be in the 23 and getting 15 -20 at outside centre.

At least some game time in the Dewar Shield to be match fit.

 

[Rebelsfan]

At least some game time in the Dewar Shield to be match fit.

well that was what I was wondering, because I seem to remember that Sione was from Southern Districts , so does he play there now?

 

[oztimmay]

well that was what I was wondering, because I seem to remember that Sione was from Southern Districts , so does he play there now?

Yes, I believe he is still allocated to the club.


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