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Melbourne Rebels 2024

Rebel man

Jim Lenehan (48)
The whole club rugby connection is a silly argument only ever had in Australian rugby. Followers of NRL, AFL, etc couldn’t give a crap where players are from and if they are playing in a lower level locally. It’s just one of those things people in rugby have convinced themselves that it matters as an excuse for rugbys poor popularity. I have been a part of many clubs in QLD and Vic and yet to meet beyond a handful of people that honestly refuses to attend a Super Rugby game because of lack of connection with the pro level.
Actually it is an issue in the AFL. The SA clubs want out on the SANFL, WA clubs are very protective of their league but that’s something else
 

Wallaby Man

Trevor Allan (34)
Actually it is an issue in the AFL. The SA clubs want out on the SANFL, WA clubs are very protective of their league but that’s something else
But it isn’t because they get full stadiums. There isn’t a person that is an Aussie rules fan refusing to go to afl games because of a perceived disconnect, they might complain about it in some small quarters but could almost guarantee they still attend afl games throughout the year.

You’d think in rugby there is thousands waiting around at club rugby refusing to attend super rugby games because of a disconnect. Most just don’t go because they have no interest in the comp, however and sadly the most likely reason is they are league fans but choose to play union as it’s more social.
 

elementfreak

Trevor Allan (34)
This was dribble, didn't really say much. I do remember the Rebels did a season or two where they played club rugby in Vic. It's a tough one, talking with some players a lot of the reasoning is the quality of the fields. Hardwick stuck with playing in Vic, didn't mention that.
One of the interesting parts of this was that the S+C teams wanted the Rebels players to have more involvement and have a high work rate, but unfortunately Dewar Shield doesn't provide the chance for that to happen. I was chatting to Pat Leafa after a game one day and he said he wasn't looking forward to the extra he'd need to do on the Monday at training to bring his training load up, even though he'd just played an 80 minute game for Box Hill when they were stacked with the Island Breeze players and played a very up tempo game.

I think 2016-2018 were the main years where Rebels players were suiting up for Dewar teams and at the time the comp was probably the best it had been for me personally to referee. 2019 wasn't as good, then 2021 (short season) and 2022 were ok but not at the same standard. Last year was trending in the right direction, but it was very dependent on what the fixture was.
 

Members Section

John Thornett (49)
Very much played for Quins, LeBron also played for EH last yr the article is about as accurate as ppl on this forum

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Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
The whole club rugby connection is a silly argument only ever had in Australian rugby. Followers of NRL, AFL, etc couldn’t give a crap where players are from and if they are playing in a lower level locally. It’s just one of those things people in rugby have convinced themselves that it matters as an excuse for rugbys poor popularity. I have been a part of many clubs in QLD and Vic and yet to meet beyond a handful of people that honestly refuses to attend a Super Rugby game because of lack of connection with the pro level.
I tend to agree, club association isn’t the make or break from a fan engagement perspective. There are pros and cons to both. Financially it’s cheaper to keep players local, from a development perspective it’s better to have the players in a higher caliber competition. But will Rebels fans really care if they’re playing local club rugby or not? Nah not really.

My only issue with it from a QPR perspective is it distorted the balance of the competition by having most of the Rebels Queensland players at the one club (Wests). Thats not a new issue though, balancing of Super Rugby players amongst QPR clubs has always been a challenge. Overall I think it helped the QPR by lifting the standard by having more Super Rugby players involved.
 

Scooter

John Solomon (38)

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
From The Australia, the battle between creditors begins..


Rebels not so super

It’s a more imminent affair for those owed money by failed Super Rugby club Melbourne Rebels, with creditors said to be owed a whopping $20m-odd set to gather on Thursday to hear from administrators PwC, which is now running things.


Rugby Australia, which was being assisted on the affairs of the club by insolvency expert Morgan Kelly from EY, is believed to have called in PwC, with the call ultimately made last week by Rebels director Owain Stone, who is also the finance director of Rugby Union Victoria.


At noon last Thursday, Rebels directors Neil Hay, Lyndsey Cattermole and Stone met with PwC reps before the appointment paperwork to make it all official was signed

Like in most collapses, the Australian Taxation Office is a significant creditor, with the Melbourne Olympic Parks Trust, which runs AAMI Park where the Rebels are based, also expected to be owed a significant amount, with any loss to be ultimately borne by the Victorian taxpayer.


There are several other suppliers to the Rebels that hold security over club assets, including billionaire Kerry Stokes’s Coates Hire, which is controlled by his Seven Group.

There are also several Rebels directors, including so-called angel investor Cattermole, who is a former director of Myer and Treasury Wines, who have committed funding to the club. Ouch.
 

Rebel man

Jim Lenehan (48)
But it isn’t because they get full stadiums. There isn’t a person that is an Aussie rules fan refusing to go to afl games because of a perceived disconnect, they might complain about it in some small quarters but could almost guarantee they still attend afl games throughout the year.

You’d think in rugby there is thousands waiting around at club rugby refusing to attend super rugby games because of a disconnect. Most just don’t go because they have no interest in the comp, however and sadly the most likely reason is they are league fans but choose to play union as it’s more social.
lol heaps of people have issues with AFL. Some blokes have refused to go since the death of Fitzroy. It’s just that enough people are still engaged with the game.

You are never going to attract people to the game with 6 home games a year.

Also your point about union and league is wrong in my opinion. I know plenty of people who came to Aus only following union then started following the Storm
 

Members Section

John Thornett (49)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB (Kurtley Beale)-pwKWTekg


Real good chat with Sione, said he missed out trying to get ever getting Mo to Glasgow but working hard on trying to get his little brother. Also says that he does miss home alot! Would love to see him back one day

*for some reason the ggr is changing the url as soon as I post just search Maul or nothing Sione Tuipuloto
 

KOB1987

Rod McCall (65)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB (Kurtley Beale) (Kurtley Beale)-pwKWTekg


Real good chat with Sione, said he missed out trying to get ever getting Mo to Glasgow but working hard on trying to get his little brother. Also says that he does miss home alot! Would love to see him back one day

*for some reason the ggr is changing the url as soon as I post just search Maul or nothing Sione Tuipuloto
it's because the letters K B are in your link and the auto "correct" function the admins have added in is inserting (Kurtley Beale) after that. Let Sully know
 

oztimmay

Geoff Shaw (53)
Staff member
This kinda stuff is gonna help us get more bums on seats. Slow clap for moron making it hard to sell tickets.

IMG_8836.jpeg



Edit: only super round tix are on sale, nothing for Rebels matches.
 
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