Melbourne Rebels 2024

[Rebel man]

One thing I would definitely look at if I were the Rebels aligning with the MCC. So many private school boys in the MCC that would have been exposed to the game as school boys but also they promote to their members everything that your membership gives you access too. There are over 200,000 members. What’s the golden rule in marketing 10% of 10%. If you get an extra 2k at the games it’s a huge step in the right direction

 

[Dctarget]

One thing I would definitely look at if I were the Rebels aligning with the MCC. So many private school boys in the MCC that would have been exposed to the game as school boys but also they promote to their members everything that your membership gives you access too. There are over 200,000 members. What’s the golden rule in marketing 10% of 10%. If you get an extra 2k at the games it’s a huge step in the right direction

Dunno if an AAMI park based team could do that. For the RWC and Bledisloe maybe but the MCC is the bar/the G/the physical section.

 

[KevinO]

All caught up (Pissed off)

Firstly, Australian rugby cannot afford to lose any teams, the view that going back to 4 teams will make Aus rugby stronger is rubbish.

The biggest problem with supporting Australian rugby is lack of games, always has been. 7/8 home games a year and 1 international. That's less than 10 games per season in your city. It's not like where in Europe where you can also drive to a few away games as well. We need more games, as simple as that. Super Rugby needs to stay at 12 teams and go home and away, anyone who says the calendar is to packed is deluded. AFL/NRL/URC/Premiership/Top14 all make it work. All have over 20 rounds/games a season. More games = more money, it's pretty simple.

Why can't Rugby Aus and NZ sort it out once and for all.

 

[Wilson]

Bit more in the smh today about the issues, club bosses at the Rebels are working to assure the players and members that everything is ok for this year at least.

Rebels give assurances over 2024 amid revelations of millions of dollars of debt

The Melbourne Rebels have written to players and staff to assure their jobs will be safe for next year, amid revelations the Super Rugby club is millions of dollars in debt.

www.smh.com.au

On the other side of the coin Rugby Australia seem to have lost interest in bringing the Rebels into the fold like they did the tahs. Whether this is because of the financial situation or because priorities have shifted with the changeover at the top is not clear, but it's a worrying development if they feel they can't afford to do it with the sides that want to when only months ago they were ready to force it on sides that didn't.

It comes as club boss Baden Stephenson hit out against “unfounded speculation” about the future of the Rebels on Wednesday, but confirmed Rugby Australia had ceased conversations about taking ownership of the Melbourne side.
...
Asked about the plan for Rugby Australia to take control over the Rebels, as it did with the Waratahs in October, Stephenson said those talks have broken down.

“The Melbourne Rebels, we very much were open to having a conversation around the centralisation of the commercial assets of our club. We had one brief conversation … Those conversations have ceased for the moment, I don’t think it’s a major priority for Rugby Australia.”
Rugby Australia were approached for comment.
“Given the major events that are coming to Melbourne, the government support, the broadcast deal, the Super Rugby deal – Melbourne is not going anywhere. I’ve got full confidence that our viability will be absolutely fine.”

 

[GoMelbRebels]

All caught up (Pissed off)

Firstly, Australian rugby cannot afford to lose any teams, the view that going back to 4 teams will make Aus rugby stronger is rubbish.

The biggest problem with supporting Australian rugby is lack of games, always has been. 7/8 home games a year and 1 international. That's less than 10 games per season in your city. It's not like where in Europe where you can also drive to a few away games as well. We need more games, as simple as that. Super Rugby needs to stay at 12 teams and go home and away, anyone who says the calendar is to packed is deluded. AFL/NRL/URC/Premiership/Top14 all make it work. All have over 20 rounds/games a season. More games = more money, it's pretty simple.

Why can't Rugby Aus and NZ sort it out once and for all.

Couldn’t agree more, Kev, the season is ridiculously short. SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) is more an exhibition series than a full on competition. A full home and away would give us 22 rounds plus a bye for each team in the middle like AFL to make it a 23 or 24 round regular season. This would also force teams into using all their squad, which is more reason for players to hang around and not look for game time elsewhere. Having a short season to fit in internationals so 35 or so players can be released makes no sense. Use the large number of players who aren’t on international duties.

 

[Rebel man]

Dunno if an AAMI park based team could do that. For the RWC and Bledisloe maybe but the MCC is the bar/the G/the physical section.

100% they could MCC supports many a sports across multiple venues. It just comes down to getting the deal done.

 

[Rebel man]

Couldn’t agree more, Kev, the season is ridiculously short. SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) is more an exhibition series than a full on competition. A full home and away would give us 22 rounds plus a bye for each team in the middle like AFL to make it a 23 or 24 round regular season. This would also force teams into using all their squad, which is more reason for players to hang around and not look for game time elsewhere. Having a short season to fit in internationals so 35 or so players can be released makes no sense. Use the large number of players who aren’t on international duties.

100% need a full season

 

[Braveheart81]

Use the large number of players who aren’t on international duties.

The biggest challenge is timing. I think it would be far more doable if the period you were playing through without the test players wasn't also likely to be the the final few rounds and finals.

 

[Members Section]

All caught up (Pissed off)

Firstly, Australian rugby cannot afford to lose any teams, the view that going back to 4 teams will make Aus rugby stronger is rubbish.

The biggest problem with supporting Australian rugby is lack of games, always has been. 7/8 home games a year and 1 international. That's less than 10 games per season in your city. It's not like where in Europe where you can also drive to a few away games as well. We need more games, as simple as that. Super Rugby needs to stay at 12 teams and go home and away, anyone who says the calendar is to packed is deluded. AFL/NRL/URC/Premiership/Top14 all make it work. All have over 20 rounds/games a season. More games = more money, it's pretty simple.

Why can't Rugby Aus and NZ sort it out once and for all.

Agree! also we play in a stadium bigger than every prem club. Wont happen but a little 10k stadium would be much more fitting (prob would work for 2/3 a league sides as well

 

[GoMelbRebels]

The biggest challenge is timing. I think it would be far more doable if the period you were playing through without the test players wasn't also likely to be the the final few rounds and finals.

True, you couldn’t have internationals and finals running in parallel.

 

[RebelYell]

I really was underwhelmed by the open letter on the website. Seemed to deflect a lot from the actual concerns supporters have about long term financial viability

Club Statement from CEO

melbournerebels.rugby

 

[KevinO]

True, you couldn’t have internationals and finals running in parallel.

Internationals use to be June with a few rounds in July then finals, I'd prefer to play through a June window for 3 weeks and have the season running into July/August anyway.

 

[Tex]

I really was underwhelmed by the open letter on the website. Seemed to deflect a lot from the actual concerns supporters have about long term financial viability

Club Statement from CEO

melbournerebels.rugby

 

[Pone's Mullet]

Clearly I've got too much time on my hands. I was intrigued by the comment in the articles that "No Rebels staff or players are contracted beyond 2025"

Using All.rugby, (not exhaustive) below is the summary of player contract lengths - only the Brumbies (Valentini and AAA) and Tahs (Bell) have players contracted after 2025.

	2024	2025	2027
Rebels	15	17	0
Brumbies	11	9	2
Force	14	15	0
Tahs	15	9	1
Reds	17	13	0

Can I go on my Christmas holiday now?

 

[GoMelbRebels]

Clearly I've got too much time on my hands. I was intrigued by the comment in the articles that "No Rebels staff or players are contracted beyond 2025"

Using All.rugby, (not exhaustive) below is the summary of player contract lengths - only the Brumbies (Valentini and AAA) and Tahs (Bell) have players contracted after 2025.

	2024	2025	2027
Rebels	15	17	0
Brumbies	11	9	2
Force	14	15	0
Tahs	15	9	1
Reds	17	13	0

Can I go on my Christmas holiday now?

The comments about no players contracted beyond 2025 are ridiculous. Two-year contracts are the most common amongst Super Rugby teams. Hodge was an exception (I think he signed for four more years in 2017).

 

[RugbyReg]

Clearly I've got too much time on my hands. I was intrigued by the comment in the articles that "No Rebels staff or players are contracted beyond 2025"

Using All.rugby, (not exhaustive) below is the summary of player contract lengths - only the Brumbies (Valentini and AAA) and Tahs (Bell) have players contracted after 2025.

	2024	2025	2027
Rebels	15	17	0
Brumbies	11	9	2
Force	14	15	0
Tahs	15	9	1
Reds	17	13	0

Can I go on my Christmas holiday now?

Tate McDermott Reds.

 

[Pone's Mullet]

Tate McDermott Reds.

You have more time than me

 

[Wilson]

Tate McDermott Reds.

Also Les Kiss, if staff are included from the original quote

 

[RugbyReg]

You have more time than me

there is a list of contracted players and contract length on the front page of every teams 2024 page on this forum. It took about 2 minutes.

 

[GoMelbRebels]

there is a list of contracted players and contract length on the front page of every teams 2024 page on this forum. It took about 2 minutes.

If you can get that down to a minute I think I can find the time. Those lists are very helpful, actually (and thank you).