Strapped Rebels in danger of folding

[jargan83]

I'd be surprised if Rugby Australia had been transparent or honest at any stage in the past 10 years.

[GIGS20]

""There's a lot of lessons to be learnt (from the Force affair) but probably the number one lesson is to be really transparent and honest and make sure that we're dealing with the situation sensitively, because it is a very sensitive situation."

And we look like f'kin idiots now that the Force are financially sustainable and the Rebs have continued to be a money pit

[shasta]

Is he admitting they were not honest or transparent in their dealings in 2017?

To be fair he was not officially involved. But being now on the board & as CEO, maybe he's seen records of those monies paid so's the Rabble could legally be sold for a buck. So how bout being transparent with that now Phil? AFAIK nobody ever denied that after Nick Taylor uncovered it.

[Garry Owen]

As sad as this is for the rebels I think it gives them the chance to fix the whole competition.

Cut rebels and Moana, go back to a super 10. Everyone play each other twice, so you get 9 home games and a more equitable competition.

The money from rugbyau is split across 4 clubs instead of 5, there are less contracts for players which should drive competition and push the quality up. It all makes sense to me.

I know it happened to us and wasn’t great but this is different as rebels have a lot more of the blame than we did

[shasta]

It could work. I think I might have heard something similar somewhere.

[andrewM]

I'm wondering..if we hadn't returned to Super Rugby or had disappeared as Clyne planned..and the Rebels still went bankrupt..

[Burgs]

As sad as this is for the rebels I think it gives them the chance to fix the whole competition.

Cut rebels and Moana, go back to a super 10. Everyone play each other twice, so you get 9 home games and a more equitable competition.

The money from rugbyau is split across 4 clubs instead of 5, there are less contracts for players which should drive competition and push the quality up. It all makes sense to me.

I know it happened to us and wasn’t great but this is different as rebels have a lot more of the blame than we did

Lose player depth, results fall, cut another team to three, lose player depth, results fall, cut another team to two, lose player depth, results fall, cut another team to one, lose Rugby in Australia...

[GIGS20]

Lose player depth, results fall, cut another team to three, lose player depth, results fall, cut another team to two, lose player depth, results fall, cut another team to one, lose Rugby in Australia...

Preaching to the choir here Burgs.The depth problem in Aussie rugby has nothing to do with the number of teams, it's all about player identification and management along with coaching.
The number of players getting contracts and international experience in other countries proved that.
Results were no different in 2018 with one less team and IMHO cutting a team would be the thin end of the wedge.
Now we might not be able to afford a fifth team in Melbourne, but that's a different discussion. I still think 5 teams is best for our development if we fix our pathways (actually I wouldn't oppose six if done properly)

[Burgs]

(actually I wouldn't oppose six if done properly)

That's a pretty rare position Gigs, but I agree.
Not quite, but close to giving up citing the +150 pro players in overseas Pro teams.
And yes, my oft repeated "It's not player creation, it's player retention".
Somehow RA and the Franchises need to lift the value of the competition and the value of a Test Cap.
You don't do that by shrinking the number of teams or the Giteau Law requirements.
Just need to find a new wall to headbutt for awhile...

[bootsetal06]

One hopes that through all his corporate yuckspeak Waugh has been on the level with the players and coaches …. Giving a coherent plan for the future . Josh Kemeny gone lost in the mire of the Giteau rule . Not sure who said it ( Eddie Jones ) ? We need a player who can play 6 or 5 or on the wing. Josh is that player . These Admin boys need to start jumping around…..

[shasta]

I feel that the biggest reason we have fallen behind the leaders in international Rugby is the neglect of pathways in the system. Below is a sobering assessment of what is at stake for Victoria, and as a result for our total player base. Despite the dearth of bums on seats at the Rebel's home games nobody could argue that Victoria fails to produce home grown talent. If a way can be found to re-boot a franchise in Melbourne it should be done. As long as it's not run by the VRU.


Code Orange as looming Rebels decision places rugby pathways at risk.

One of the arguments regularly raised against the retention of a professional rugby presence in Victoria is that Melbourne is not a rugby city. Why should Rugby Australia throw good money after bad when nobody cares about the game south of the Murray?

Last week, Academy Movement founder and director, Jimmy Orange, then Rebels CEO Baden Stephenson, and Rugby Victoria President Neil Hay launched a new rugby academy ...................

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/02/1...hways-at-risk/

[James]

It never hurts to have a bigger player base, but what we have should be enough. We just do poorly with what we have. Not enough games, not enough technical coaching.

It was sad that the Force circa 2017 was becoming an increasingly home-grown team. It looks like Melbourne are in the same boat we were. I thought the chop devastated our pathways. It would be a shame to see the same happen again.

[jargan83]

An unpaid caterers’ bill was the reason tickets are still not on sale for the Melbourne Rebels’ season opener against the Brumbies on Friday.

Rugby Australia urgently worked out a renewed agreement with the AAMI Park caterers, who have not been paid in a year with the Rebels in a dire financial situation.

Rest of article behind Murdoch Paywall.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sub...haviour=append

[Kernow]

It's small in the scheme of things, but if there are no Rebels, there will be one less B&I Lions match - Australian A, perhaps?

[Tazzmania]

It's small in the scheme of things, but if there are no Rebels, there will be one less B&I Lions match - Australian A, perhaps?

It has already been stated by Waugh that should the Rebels not be around in 2025 there will still be a BL match in Melbourne against either an Australia A or a Pasifika invitational side.