Recent content by 5StarStu

The A-League deal with 10/Paramount is performance-based - they had incentives to drive subscriptions to Paramount+, and part of the challenge with the deal was that they failed them, which led to a significant decrease in distributions to clubs this season.

Both of those are more so due to stadium availability. WAC is during March where both Docklands and the MCG are unavailable, so they'd likely have to bid up to secure any Matildas games which they then couldn't get back in tourism through filling AAMI Park. Same deal with the WWC which was held...

Everything is lining up to this being a strategic leak to try and force them back to the table. Even the fact it was leaked to News first when RA has a relationship with Nine - they sent it where they knew it'd do the most damage. Pretty bloody clever by RA if it works, but it's a risky game.

No, they've pulled out entirely. I have a strong suspicion this leak from RA is a last-ditch attempt to get them to come back to the table, given the length of time between now and the official confirmation. Will be interesting to see if it works.

Definitely possible - but more so in that any threat of theirs to pull out wouldn't be idle, particularly given all the talk of government debt. The Vic government is in a bit of a no win situation as by pulling out they draw comparison to the Comm Games, so I don't think it's a moral standing...

Whether World Rugby had an involvement in it or not - and it's obvious they didn't - IIRC the RWC is a JV between them and RA. In that sense it's not incorrect to suggest that paying more for the rights to host games would benefit RA, and in the opposite sense an uncompetitive bid process...

Good for him, hope he’s not the last.

Love to everybody who made it to the game, to Bells or who went on this journey no matter how long or little. Go Rebels.

I suppose, but there are extra layers here - you can pay Folau to go away but if I'm one of the other four teams, and I see a precedent that the Rebels claim that they were shortchanged is anything other than nonsense, first thing I'm doing is putting my hand out for my share. RA would surely...

I don't think they'll pull out of bidding because of the Rebels, but it's definitely provided them a convenient excuse to do something they may have already been considering given the state government's current debt issues. The biggest risk to RA/WR (World Rugby) is the lack of competitive bidding for key...

That's awesome, god the wins meant a lot then (and now)

The Rebels will have featured over 200 players by the time the curtains fall - I have an affinity for all of those players regardless of where they've gone since or where they'll play going forward. In a few weeks none will be Rebels players, and there will be no Rebels players to replace them...

Nobody.

The news has seemed inevitable all season yet still hit me like a tonne of bricks. Thoughts are with all the staff, players, alumni and fans who have seen all of their efforts come to this.

2011 but the first version was in the ARC in 2007. Yes I was - I grew up with the game and was a fan of the Brumbies as a kid, but the Rebels are my team and my main connection to the game since I stopped playing. That won’t be replaced by RA just throwing us a national team game every year.