Melbourne Rebels 2024

[RugbyReg]

I doubt it was one particular individual, more likely you were paying a premium on attracting all talent. An extra $50k per player adds up very quickly.

particularly when they seem to consistently have the largest playing squad.

 

[molman]

But the two scenarios are not the same and therefore the scale is totally different. Even if RA looked to provide the Rebels with more funds due to the scale of the levels of available funds it would not have been significant enough to turn the needle to solvency for the Rebels and frankly given the conduct of those at the helm of the club since 2018 I have serious doubts there would have used any additional funds appropriately. And we'd still be in the same position. They've lived beyond their means and now upon being found out are showing a truly delusional level of entitlement. I really cannot understand the blind faith you're displaying in these people here. They've screwed you over as much as every other Rebels fan.

AS I've said previously I want a Melbourne based Super Rugby team to remain but not in the hands of the same people that cocked it up this badly.

I'm similar to you @WorkingClassRugger, I'd love to see a Melbourne team still exist and our competition to be strong enough to support one, but I'm really struggling to understand how people can see this proposed solution to in any way be a good path and/or how they seem so willing to condone an outcome that sees those parties that directly led to this situation not accounting for themselves. RA in this situation would be fools to support this proposal and I can't imagine any of their counsel having advised otherwise. ATO also is never going to take a path that sets a precedent like this either.

I think peoples emotions around the situation are clouding a lot of things in some of the discourse occurring.

 

[Rebel man]

Well, then I'd hope a couple of things have been happening behind the scenes. 1) conversations with NZR about covering the content gap. Ideally with a move to a double round robin season and 2) more importantly measures to maintain the pathways to professionalism for Victorian Rugby players via the continued participation in the JNRC, Super W and ideally some kind of Academy team that would play in either the Shute Shield or Hospitals Cup from 2025 onwards.

You have NFI all of you idiots want your cake and to eat it too. No Rebels no pathway as simple as that.

When you’re a talented kid and you have the option of Aussie Rules, the new Storm pathway with a brand new centre of excellence or playing Shute shield with the hope of being a Horatah you are not playing rugby. Victoria has always produced players for the Brumbies in the past yet the increase in production is solely down to the Rebels pathways. Now we are facing increasing competition you want to take away what has driven the success and expect to keep the same level of production. You are absolutely kidding yourself

 

[Scooter]

RA "We are possibly the worst run sporting organisation in Australia."

Melbourne Rebels directors "Hold my beer."

I understand the anger at RA by fellow Rebels fans but you should be equally angry at the board.

I remember at a Rebels Members Forum pre-COVID I asked why the Rebels weren't publishing crowds and whether there were any concerns about crowd numbers.

Baden Stephenson's response was "When I am in the corporate suites I don't take any notice of what the size of the crowd is and whether it is posted on scoreboard."

That response raised concerns for me.

 

[Rebel man]

I'm similar to you @WorkingClassRugger, I'd love to see a Melbourne team still exist and our competition to be strong enough to support one, but I'm really struggling to understand how people can see this proposed solution to in any way be a good path and/or how they seem so willing to condone an outcome that sees those parties that directly led to this situation not accounting for themselves. RA in this situation would be fools to support this proposal and I can't imagine any of their counsel having advised otherwise. ATO also is never going to take a path that sets a precedent like this either.

I think peoples emotions around the situation are clouding a lot of things in some of the discourse occurring.

RA are fools so if we follow your logic the Rebels are here to stay

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

You have NFI all of you idiots want your cake and to eat it too. No Rebels no pathway as simple as that.

When you’re a talented kid and you have the option of Aussie Rules, the new Storm pathway with a brand new centre of excellence or playing Shute shield with the hope of being a Horatah you are not playing rugby. Victoria has always produced players for the Brumbies in the past yet the increase in production is solely down to the Rebels pathways. Now we are facing increasing competition you want to take away what has driven the success and expect to keep the same level of production. You are absolutely kidding yourself

Where do you think those Vic kids in the Storm system will be playing their games?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

You have NFI all of you idiots want your cake and to eat it too. No Rebels no pathway as simple as that.

When you’re a talented kid and you have the option of Aussie Rules, the new Storm pathway with a brand new centre of excellence or playing Shute shield with the hope of being a Horatah you are not playing rugby. Victoria has always produced players for the Brumbies in the past yet the increase in production is solely down to the Rebels pathways. Now we are facing increasing competition you want to take away what has driven the success and expect to keep the same level of production. You are absolutely kidding yourself

You seem to be getting more and more frantic as this conversation goes on.

 

[Rebel man]

Morbidly Rebels might just a case of been the first domino to fall, rugby in Australia doesn’t have the same money it had when it committed to 5 teams in Super Rugby. That’s a sad reality. The percentage of RA revenue distributed to Super Rugby clubs is higher in years gone by, but still not enough. Using AFL as a benchmark is great, but we don’t have the money to do that without culling other programs like Women’s Ruor Sevens.

If broadcast rights are scaled down relative to the number of Super Rugby teams, I don’t know if we have enough money for even 3 or 4 teams. At which point the critical mass implodes in on itself.

If we want to use an AFL benchmarks we could look at Wayne Jackson in the 90s merge or die. Refusing to support clubs in the heartland while supporting Brisbane Bears pre merge and the Sydney Swans now they dwarf the Reds and Tahs

 

[Rebel man]

Where do you think those Vic kids in the Storm system will be playing their games?

That comment just shows you have NFI. The storm provides a pathway to go pro in Melbourne.

Every kid in the TAC Cup knows there is a chance they will have to move but the goal for every single one of them is to play professionally in Melbourne.

Only kids who have no other offers will stick with union. That’s the reality

You just live in a fantasy land where you believe you can keep all the advantages gained by adding the Rebels while losing all the drawbacks

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

If we want to use an AFL benchmarks we could look at Wayne Jackson in the 90s merge or die. Refusing to support clubs in the heartland while supporting Brisbane Bears pre merge and the Sydney Swans now they dwarf the Reds and Tahs

You want to use the AFL as a benchmark as it supports your argument while ignoring the reality of the vast chasm in funding between the AFL and Rugby.

 

[molman]

RA are fools so if we follow your logic the Rebels are here to stay

I think I'll stand by my comment of emotion clouding clarity of thought for some people with this ad hominem response to a personified RA.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

That comment just shows you have NFI. The storm provides a pathway to go pro in Melbourne.

Every kid in the TAC Cup knows there is a chance they will have to move but the goal for every single one of them is to play professionally in Melbourne.

Only kids who have no other offers will stick with union. That’s the reality

People move for opportunities for their chosen career all the time. Look at the Rebels squad. Or the Storm's for that matter. It's the nature of professional sport. Melbourne kids have taken opportunities to play interstate in the past. Hunter Paisami for one. It's far from what I want. But if the Rebels are wound up as I don't see those driving the DoCA convincing the ATO they are capable of operating a going concern considering previous conduct (remember that they've apparently failed to maintain previous payment arrangements) then it's better than nothing. The only way I see a Melbourne team remaining at this point is if everything is run out of RA with only the HP team on the ground in Melbourne itself. And considering your increasingly frantic offerings I think you'd hate that more.

 

[Rebel man]

You want to use the AFL as a benchmark as it supports your argument while ignoring the reality of the vast chasm in funding between the AFL and Rugby.

But that wasn’t the case. In 1986 7 of the 11 Melbourne clubs were insolvent with one already being moved to Sydney.

The success of the league is due to competent administrators who made tough but necessary calls.

It wasn’t a popular move in Melbourne either, the Vic Government refused to bail them out as all the clubs had failed to pay their payroll taxes

Gordon Lewis the then commissioner of corporate affairs admitted he should have shut the league down. He admitted he lacked the character to do so.

The financial support given to the likes of the Bears and Swans by many in Melbourne was seen as part of the problem yet it was the expansion that lead to the game surviving and now thriving

 

[Rebel man]

People move for opportunities for their chosen career all the time. Look at the Rebels squad. Or the Storm's for that matter. It's the nature of professional sport. Melbourne kids have taken opportunities to play interstate in the past. Hunter Paisami for one. It's far from what I want. But if the Rebels are wound up as I don't see those driving the DoCA convincing the ATO they are capable of operating a going concern considering previous conduct (remember that they've apparently failed to maintain previous payment arrangements) then it's better than nothing. The only way I see a Melbourne team remaining at this point is if everything is run out of RA with only the HP team on the ground in Melbourne itself. And considering your increasingly frantic offerings I think you'd hate that more.

You have NFI about the landscape in Melbourne

 

[Dan54]

That comment just shows you have NFI. The storm provides a pathway to go pro in Melbourne.

Every kid in the TAC Cup knows there is a chance they will have to move but the goal for every single one of them is to play professionally in Melbourne.

Only kids who have no other offers will stick with union. That’s the reality

You just live in a fantasy land where you believe you can keep all the advantages gained by adding the Rebels while losing all the drawbacks

Rebel while understanding your anger etc, (and I would be too, at both my own board and RA), but mate any kids that is good at union in Victoria will still have pathways. If you think all kids that come through to Brumbies are from their atea, etc I have news for you mate. Same as anywhere else (including NZ) scouts are at all school toruanaments from private schools, academies from all super teams, most NRL teams etc etc. When I lived in Qld and followed GPS school rugby there were kids in SouthportNudgee etc 1st XVs from all Aus.

 

[Slayer!]

So...remind me again why the Rebels should stay in Super Rugby?

 

[drewprint]

So...remind me again why the Rebels should stay in Super Rugby?





View attachment 18764View attachment 18765

Not cool.

 

[oztimmay]

 

[Adam84]

So...remind me again why the Rebels should stay in Super Rugby?





View attachment 18764View attachment 18765

Silly post

 

[half]

Not sure what all this means. Parts only copied from an article in the Age, linked at the end. Not sure if its a victory or just a short term stop before wind up.

"""""""Directors for the Melbourne Rebels have secured a major victory against Rugby Australia after creditors voted to support a rescue deal to save the debt-laden Super Rugby club.

The proposal, put forward by a private equity-backed consortium led by business heavyweight Leigh Clifford and the Melbourne Rebels’ directors, still relies on the support of Rugby Australia and the tax office – which both voted against the deal.

The Rebels’ consortium must jump two hurdles before it can retain control of the company: Rugby Australia handing back the licence for the Super Rugby competition, and the Australian Taxation Office releasing the directors from their personal liability over the club’s $11.6 million in tax debts.

The group has 30 days to negotiate with the sport’s peak body and the tax office. If unsuccessful, the consortium will then have 60 days – or a date approved by the administrators – to commence legal proceedings to wrangle back the licence.
If they’re still unable to claim back the licence, or be released from their director penalty notice, the deal will collapse, and the consortium will no longer have any claim to the company.

However, there is a clause that allows the consortium to waive either of these conditions."""""

Melbourne Rebels to continue fight for survival

Directors for the Melbourne Rebels have secured a major victory against Rugby Australia.

www.theage.com.au