Setting a high standard for sure and other clubs are trying to follow but not many have a $300k (or thereabouts) "player expense" budget...Quins are a long way off that, Uni as well and every other club just survives on whoever else turns up it seems.
I think that's an absurd statement, I've been told by serveral people they don't pay players and I certainly don't believe that but $300,00? I'd guess that Melbourne's sucsess is owed to 3 things:
1) A old boy network to rival (and heavily linked to) the privet school scene that can offer players jobs.
2) The fact they are inner city and called "Melbourne" (google melbourne rugby right now and see who comes up first, it isn't the rebels).
3) They took the cup the year before the Rebels were announced and as such any player looking to give Vic Rugger a crack is looking toward them as the bench mark.
It'd be incredibly shocked if their player payments were above 20-30 thousand. They do however look like they invest a fair bit on coaches.
Quins I'm not sure about but I think they'd be in Melbourne's ball park, Uni on the other hand gives out 4ish Uni scholarships a year to their Colts alone valuing about $1000pp. I heard they gave out more last year but like the Melbourne figure above I'm hesitant to believe it.
Me too! Not many other clubs around have ever won all grades on the day, I know Wests did it in Canberra a while back, old Stokesy didn't stop smiling for a week (which is a long time for him)!
It's a bit BS the depth they have, I think the pressure should be put on them to rename themselves East Melbourne or something because having a club called Melbourne dominating Melbourne Rugby is just silly, you wouldn't see that in any other major city.
