Melbourne Squad @ 31/03/10

[Sheikh]

If we could sign 10 foreign players we'd look pretty good, too. They'll need time to settle into combinations, so don't expect too much in their first season.

They may avoid being wooden spoons, though. Considering how bad the Lions were this year!

[TOCC]

They are staring to look better then the force in there first season
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[brokendown gunfighter]

They are staring to look better then the force in there first season
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& I'm glad they are,the Force were on a hiding to nothing trying to organise their inaugral squad

[normie]

& I'm glad they are,the Force were on a hiding to nothing trying to organise their inaugral squad

Yes, so true gunny, wouldn't wish it upon anyone; For the Rebels though, the world is their oyster!

[Burgs]

Starting to get somewhere now:

1. Greg Somerville*
2. Adam Freier
3. Laurie Weeks
4. Alister Campbell
5. Hoani McDonald*
6. Jarrod Saffy
7. Michael Lipman*
8. Gareth Delve*

9. Richard Kingi
10. James Hilgendorf
11. Peter Betham
12. Julian Huxley
13. Stirling Mortlock
14. Lachlan Mitchell
15. Danny Cipriani*

16. Heath Tessman
17. Nic Henderson
18. Kevin O'Neill*/Adam Byrnes/Luke Jones
19. Tim Davidson
20. Sam Cordingley
21. Mark Gerrard
22. Cooper Vuna

* Overseas Marquee Player

Rumour mill:

Rodney Blake, Luke Rooney, Billy Slater, Israel Folau and Mark Gasnier.

Remaining Overseas Marquee Positions: 4

Updated 28/05/10

Do you think Luke Jones might be starting to think he may have been better off back in Perth???

[TOCC]

This is my starting lineup

1. Greg Somerville*
2. Adam Freier
3. Laurie Weeks
4. Kevin O'Neill*
5. Adam Byrnes
6. Jarrod Saffy
7. Michael Lipman*
8. Gareth Delve*

9. Sam Cordingley
10. Danny Cipriani*
11. Cooper Vuna
12. Julian Huxley
13. Stirling Mortlock
14. Lachlan Mitchell
15. Mark Gerrard

16. Heath Tessman
17. Nic Henderson
18. Hoani McDonald*
19. Tim Davidson
20. Richard Kingi
21. James Hilgendorf
22. Peter Betham

[Darren]

Mortlock has just had spinal surgery - not sure what kind of recovery time he has....

[GIGS20]

Starting to get somewhere now:

1. Greg Somerville*
2. Adam Freier
3. Laurie Weeks
4. Alister Campbell
5. Hoani McDonald*
6. Jarrod Saffy
7. Michael Lipman*
8. Gareth Delve*

9. Richard Kingi
10. James Hilgendorf
11. Peter Betham
12. Julian Huxley
13. Stirling Mortlock
14. Lachlan Mitchell
15. Danny Cipriani*

16. Heath Tessman
17. Nic Henderson
18. Kevin O'Neill*/Adam Byrnes/Luke Jones
19. Tim Davidson
20. Sam Cordingley
21. Mark Gerrard
22. Cooper Vuna

* Overseas Marquee Player

Rumour mill:

Rodney Blake, Luke Rooney, Billy Slater, Israel Folau and Mark Gasnier.

Remaining Overseas Marquee Positions: 4

Updated 28/05/10

Do you think Luke Jones might be starting to think he may have been better off back in Perth???

You'd have to wonder whether Henderson was thinking the same thing. He'll be fighting with Weeks for a starting spot, since Somerville would have to be an automatic pick. Dunning was a waste of space and is probably going anyway, so he's swapped bench for bench.

Unless of course he has the mail on Dunning signing, which would make him #4 for us based upon selections this year.

[TOCC]

You'd have to wonder whether Henderson was thinking the same thing. He'll be fighting with Weeks for a starting spot, since Somerville would have to be an automatic pick. Dunning was a waste of space and is probably going anyway, so he's swapped bench for bench.

Unless of course he has the mail on Dunning signing, which would make him #4 for us based upon selections this year.

Weeks is a tight head prop and Henderson is a loose head prop..

Somerville is a THP as well, however he can play LHP as well if needed, his just not as good at LHP.

[GIGS20]

I can never keep straight which side they stand on!

It's made worse by all these guys who swap sides at will.

Will that mean that Weeks has booked a bench slot and Hendo will be a starter?

[TOCC]

yeah man im the same, i get it mixed up from time to time

Yeah Weeks may be a benchy with Somerville and Henderson starting, but then again i suppose one of them might train up to cover the other position in the off-season..

Either way, if any of the players display good form then they can cement a position, such as Weeks, if he plays well for the Wallabys then he will cement a starting position and force Somerville and Henderson to fight it out for the other position.

[Burgs]

The Melbourne Rebels said yesterday they had no interest in recruiting Fijian flyer Rupeni Caucaunibuca, who has declared an interest in playing in next year's expanded Super 15 competition. The enigmatic winger, who has been playing club football in France for the past six years and will play in the centres for Fiji against the Wallabies tonight, said he was in talks with an Australian Super franchise. But the Rebels said it was not them.

Despite having room on their playing list for their inaugural season, acting chief executive Pat Wilson said the 30-year-old was not a target.

Wilson said the Rebels had virtually completed signing their roster of forwards, and still had room for a handful of backs, with former Wallaby Mark Gerrard among those players.

''We're done with our forward pack, we're just in the final process of completing the last spot or two around there and we're in advanced discussions on that level,'' he said.

''In the backs, there's a couple of blokes we're talking about, too, so we're getting very, very close [to completing signings].

Coach Rod Macqueen is in France, although Wilson said he had been spreading the Rebels gospel rather than recruiting any particular players.


Source: The Age

[TOCC]

Ex NRL player Luke Rooney is expected to sign with them, he has been going awsome for Toulon, he is also another fullback
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[James]

This is my starting lineup

6. Jarrod Saffy

18. Hoani McDonald*

You'd play Saffy as starting blindside over Hoani MacDonald? Having spent so long out of union in league I'd put in someone a bit better at handling the breakdown.

[TOCC]

Hoani is more of a lock then a flanker, if you've ever seen him play you will realise he just lumbers around the field, he could play off the bench, but he is to slow to start
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---------- Post added at 13:14 ---------- Previous post was at 09:55 ----------

expect to see the signing of Rodney Blake in the next week or two when he returns from France