Melbourne Rebels 2025 and beyond...

[Slim 293]

Looks like the MRRU and RA dodged a bullet here:

Aloisi ‘devastated’ as former champions Western United stripped of A-League licence

The A-Leagues look set to lose one of its newest additions, with the Melbourne-based club stripped of its licence to compete in the top flight just three years after it won the men’s championship.

www.theage.com.au

Oh, yes indeedy...

Pendlebury manager to step aside as dreams of soccer stadium go up in smoke

Embattled sporting entrepreneur Jason Sourasis has been shut out of any involvement in the A-League soccer team Western United and its stadium development project.

www.theage.com.au

Embattled sporting entrepreneur Jason Sourasis has been shut out of any involvement in the A-League soccer team Western United and the development of a sporting precinct in Melbourne’s west as his plans for a 20,000-seat stadium go up in smoke.

Sourasis declined to comment on his future at the club or with the project on Wednesday, but sources close to him and the project team confirmed he would step aside after an issue with tax debts had been resolved.

It comes as high-profile investors line up against Sourasis, alleging significant unpaid debts.

This week, leading financier Ozzie Kheir said he was owed a substantial amount of money from Sourasis, and the entrepreneur’s longtime friend, Collingwood star Scott Pendlebury, has taken him to court, accusing him of misappropriation.

Pendlebury alleges nearly $3 million of his funds were misappropriated from his bank account by Sourasis and his company, Strategic Financial Planning.

Sourasis denies the allegations.

 

[Tomikin]

Oh, yes indeedy...

Pendlebury manager to step aside as dreams of soccer stadium go up in smoke

Embattled sporting entrepreneur Jason Sourasis has been shut out of any involvement in the A-League soccer team Western United and its stadium development project.

www.theage.com.au

bUt ThIs wOulD sAvE tHe rEbelS and its the RA's FaULt thEy diDn't gEt oN bOard!!@!!!!

 

[stoff]

bUt ThIs wOulD sAvE tHe rEbelS and its the RA's FaULt thEy diDn't gEt oN bOard!!@!!!!

You’re a petty little man aren’t you.

 

[Tomikin]

You’re a petty little man aren’t you.

Petty, probably... But when this deal was floated there was so many Rebels fans slating RA for not taking up the deal, and trying to save the Rebels with it. Luckly, someone (like a lot of people here) in R.A. thought, how can we give a group of people 20 million in debt, more money to move out to bum fuck nowhere and let them 'try again'.

Looks like this dude is would have fit right in on the Rebel's board.

 

[Wilson]

Mediation has failed and this looks to be headed to court:

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/10/24/rugby-australia-and-rebels-set-for-court-as-initial-mediation-session-ends-in-stalemate/

 

[Highlander35]

I am shocked that there's not an acceptable solution when tens of millions of dollars are on the line for highly legally educated individuals against a body for which any concession might have significant downstream effects for its current and past operations.

 

[Tex]

Petty, probably... But when this deal was floated there was so many Rebels fans slating RA for not taking up the deal, and trying to save the Rebels with it. Luckly, someone (like a lot of people here) in R.A. thought, how can we give a group of people 20 million in debt, more money to move out to bum fuck nowhere and let them 'try again'.

Looks like this dude is would have fit right in on the Rebel's board.

A vaguely literate jab at Stoff, who's been nothing but a gentleman in this forum over the years, which is probably par for the course for you.

 

[Tomikin]

A vaguely literate jab at Stoff, who's been nothing but a gentleman in this forum over the years, which is probably par for the course for you.

It wasn't a jab at him at all. His been fine. But there were others, pushing hard for this deal to go through, and defending the undefendable.

But hey, call me what you want, Im no Chairmen or board member, but even I know having 17 dollars in the bank, 2 cars out back and being 20 million in debt isn't good business. You shouldn't be mad at me for pointing this out. I feel sorry for the fans and the players. But the snake oil salesmen can all get fucked.

 

[Adam84]

Not Stoff — but there were others who took any criticism of Doherty or the Rebels board personally and would fire back at anyone doing so pretty aggressively. Often myself the messenger even by posting the articles from AFR/Australian which talked about the issues coming out of the Rebels.

 

[Strewthcobber]

With all of the goings on with Rebels and Western United etc, I have been fairly shocked by how many business people, CEOs and their boards seem to be happy to not pay the ATO as the first option when the cash flow starts getting tough.

 

[Tex]

Not Stoff — but there were others who took any criticism of Doherty or the Rebels board personally and would fire back at anyone doing so pretty aggressively. Often myself the messenger even by posting the articles from AFR/Australian which talked about the issues coming out of the Rebels.

All I'll add is that there is a group of armchair posters who have zero direct connection to the demise of our club, gleefully jumping on this shit and from the perspective of many down here, sinking the boot in.

 

[Tomikin]

All I'll add is that there is a group of armchair posters who have zero direct connection to the demise of our club, gleefully jumping on this shit and from the perspective of many down here, sinking the boot in.

And that's twice you have attacked me and misrepresented what I've said. It's a forum, and I'm calling it how I see it. We are all armchair posters. I've said from day one, I feel for the Rebels fans, the Rebels players, even the local juniors. I did not want to lose the Rebels, and I hope they will return in the future.

However, I do blame the board and the Western United Business People. They have destroyed your club and are not taking any responsibility for their actions...

 

[Highlander35]

With all of the goings on with Rebels and Western United etc, I have been fairly shocked by how many business people, CEOs and their boards seem to be happy to not pay the ATO as the first option when the cash flow starts getting tough.

Not to go too hard on the politics but I mean up until quite recently that's been the point no? Between funding and policy (both spoken and unspoken) the job was to substantially get out of the way of businesses to keep people employed, drive productivity/GDP etc. etc.

it's only been in the last half dozen years or so where measures related to enforcing interest, removing tax deductibility of fines, the move to payday superannuation, less freely available and shorter payment plans etc. have really been put back on the table as a tool against unscrupulous employers/partnerships/sole traders.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Not to go too hard on the politics but I mean up until quite recently that's been the point no? Between funding and policy (both spoken and unspoken) the job was to substantially get out of the way of businesses to keep people employed, drive productivity/GDP etc. etc.

it's only been in the last half dozen years or so where measures related to enforcing interest, removing tax deductibility of fines, the move to payday superannuation, less freely available and shorter payment plans etc. have really been put back on the table as a tool against unscrupulous employers/partnerships/sole traders.

I had no idea on any of this. Probably naively

How long have DPNs been in place, and/or enforced? That seems to have changed the game for these Board members

 

[Tex]

And that's twice you have attacked me and misrepresented what I've said. It's a forum, and I'm calling it how I see it. We are all armchair posters. I've said from day one, I feel for the Rebels fans, the Rebels players, even the local juniors. I did not want to lose the Rebels, and I hope they will return in the future.

However, I do blame the board and the Western United Business People. They have destroyed your club and are not taking any responsibility for their actions...

Nah I called you out once.

 

[stoff]

A vaguely literate jab at Stoff, who's been nothing but a gentleman in this forum over the years, which is probably par for the course for you.

Cheers Tex.

 

[TSR]

With all of the goings on with Rebels and Western United etc, I have been fairly shocked by how many business people, CEOs and their boards seem to be happy to not pay the ATO as the first option when the cash flow starts getting tough.

I can’t talk too much to a corporate level but at a small to medium enterprise it’s pretty common. And the ATO were generally pretty accomodating- waiving interest, re-negotiating payment plans, not really taken additional action until things were well advanced. About 2 yrs ago they changed their tune and are much more rigourous in their process and follow up and, to my understanding, rarely now rebate the interest which is charged at a rate above bank ODs. For a lot of business’ some assistance from the ATO is a very useful tool in helping them negotiate short term interruption or downturn. It’s a relatively easy form of credit to obtain. For others it’s the start of a downwards spiral though.

 

[Rob42]

I can’t talk too much to a corporate level but at a small to medium enterprise it’s pretty common. And the ATO were generally pretty accomodating- waiving interest, re-negotiating payment plans, not really taken additional action until things were well advanced. About 2 yrs ago they changed their tune and are much more rigourous in their process and follow up and, to my understanding, rarely now rebate the interest which is charged at a rate above bank ODs. For a lot of business’ some assistance from the ATO is a very useful tool in helping them negotiate short term interruption or downturn. It’s a relatively easy form of credit to obtain. For others it’s the start of a downwards spiral though.

Peak rugby forum content

 

[Highlander35]

I had no idea on any of this. Probably naively

How long have DPNs been in place, and/or enforced? That seems to have changed the game for these Board members

I think they've existed for a long time but only got beefed up in ~2019 to be of actual utility, but we went into COVID and killing businesses wasn't going to be seen to be the done thing.

Edit: A quick google suggests various changes between 2012 and 2022 all turning a paper tiger into an actual weapon but it was basically only used on the worst of the worst until 2023ish for various political reasons.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I think they've existed for a long time but only got beefed up in ~2019 to be of actual utility, but we went into COVID and killing businesses wasn't going to be seen to be the done thing.

Edit: A quick google suggests various changes between 2012 and 2022 all turning a paper tiger into an actual weapon but it was basically only used on the worst of the worst until 2023ish for various political reasons.

So is this all a get Paul Docherty thing (with a lot of collateral damage along the way)?