Ex-Wallabies excited for Melbourne rugby

By Adam Cooper, AAP November 26, 2009, 3:58 pm


Former Wallabies Joe Roff and David Fitter say Melbourne's entry into an expanded Super 15 competition could make the city one of the biggest producers of Australian rugby players.
The pair, both from Victoria, joined former Australian captain Mark Ella and other guests at a luncheon on Thursday to commemorate 100 years of the Victorian Rugby Union and the Melbourne Rebels' pending entry into the Super 15.

Fitter said the size and make-up of Melbourne's population and its passion for sport made it an untapped well of rugby talent, which would come to the fore in 2011, when the new team enters the competition.
"I'm born and bred here so I know I'm biased, but I was lucky enough to have the privilege of playing for Australia and I've played with and against some of the best in the world and seen models in rugby of what works and what doesn't," he said.
"But I believe that in time there's nothing that can stop Melbourne being the major rugby union in the country.
"It's a big city, it's the sporting capital of the country and there's nothing that can't say that we can't be the best in the country. The opportunity's here."
Fitter was forced interstate to pursue an elite rugby career but he and Roff, who was born in Heathcote in country Victoria but made his name with the ACT Brumbies, believe Melbourne's team will keep players in the state and make the game prosper.
"Absolutely. The player base here will be larger than the player base in the ACT and we (the Brumbies) draw a lot of our talent from the local competition," Roff said.
"Putting in place the right structure to nurture that talent is going to be the key. "The young Victorian guys who are with the Australian schools (team), they should be aiming to be the foundation players for the Victorian side ... the talent is there."
Ella admitted he was sceptical of Australia's ability to spread talent across five sides, but said the time was right to look to the future given the Wallabies' current woes.
"From what I've seen lately, maybe we need new blood coming through," he said.
Ella and Fitter said the Rebels - Melbourne's working name - should be granted concessions to have up to 10 internationals in their initial squad, with a plan to water that down in following seasons.
Roff said putting an emphasis on attractive, free-flowing rugby was a key to the Rebels capturing a share of the public's support in Melbourne given the city's AFL infatuation.

"You have to play attractive to draw those fans in, for them to come in and say `Yeah, that's entertainment'," he said.
"That can be as important as winning.

"If it was me I'd rather go and see my team lose 39-36 to the Crusaders than win 6-3 in a dour match.

"That has to be a part of what's this new team's about."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...lbourne-rugby/