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Melbourne Rebels in danger as CEO and staff lose jobs - report

Rebels players prepare for a scrum during the Super Rugby Pacific Trial Match between Melbourne Rebels and NSW Waratahs at Harold Caterson Reserve on February 03, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

Just days after entering voluntary administration, the Melbourne Rebels have seen their entire non-playing coaching staff, including chief executive Baden Stephenson, be made redundant.

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According to a report in The Age, administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers terminated the contracts of the workforce in the face of $20 million in debts and with only  $17,300 in the bank.

The players have been kept on as they are also contracted to Rugby Australia, who have stepped in to put a small number of administrative staff and the Rebels’ coaching staff on short-term contracts until the end of the forthcoming Super Rugby Pacific season.

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Luke Jacobson is ready for the challenge of being Super Rugby favourites

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Luke Jacobson is ready for the challenge of being Super Rugby favourites

That means Kevin Foote and his coaching team will remain with the Rebels this year, which begins for his side with a visit from the Brumbies on Friday February 23. There is very little certainty as to what lies ahead for the team after this season though.

Super Rugby Pacific chairman Kevin Malloy has suggested that the Rebels’ current position may change their plans for a competition restructure in 2026.

“I wouldn’t call it a cloud. I think it’s just a reality that we have to deal with,” he said at the Super Rugby Pacific launch on Auckland Harbour on Wednesday.

“We feel really engaged and involved in understanding exactly what Rugby Australia are working through. And part of that conversation is obviously starting to think about the future, but I think we’ve signalled well in advance of this tournament that we’re doing that anyway.

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“Logically 2026 has been the time frame with media rights cycles and that sort of thing. So [that’s when] we would think about if there would be any material change in the competition… clearly what’s happened with the Rebels has just brought that conversation forward slightly.”

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh said: “We’re working through that process. I think [the super round is] exciting. You’ve got six games in one of the greatest sporting markets in the world.

“And as we heard from Trevor (Waugh was referring to Rob Leota), the captain of the Rebels up there, it’s an exciting and a huge opportunity for the locals to come out and support rugby and see some of the best players in the world.”

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10 Comments
P
Pecos 267 days ago

Ditch them from 2025 & bring in an Argie or Japanese franchise. Or an American/Canadian combined one? Australia then has a deeper pool of players to strengthen the 4 home franchises.

J
Jon 267 days ago

I think this article is in error, and should say “Melbourne have seen their entire non-coaching staff made redundant, not the their non playing staff.

Obviously you don’t need those staff if youre not going to be around another year, so I think this news pretty much puts to bed any idea ARU will keep them around for another year?

S
Sumkunn Tsadmiova 267 days ago

“in the face of $20 million in debts and with only  $17,300 in the bank….”

Well it’s not all doom and gloom. All they need to do is find a horse running with odds of 1155/1 or better, put their remaining 17.3k on him to win and, bingo, debt covered!

On a more pragmatic front, perhaps trying to run a rugby franchise in Victoria, that hasn’t the slightest interest in, or clue about, rugby wasn’t the brightest commercial idea. Might as well try selling ice creams on the moon.

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JW 1 hour ago
How can Scott Robertson revive the All Blacks’ playmaking ‘triple threat’?

Love how you stoke up the fire with these slow burners Nick, great time to let the air into this one too coming into Jordies new home for a few months.


Razor (and possibly Cullen?) is the perfect coach to keep fueling Jordies own flame. Foster on the other hand has to be a people person because he's always trying to douse everyones due to his own lack of enterprise.


I didn't want to nark on the man but we still have Reiks waiting to be ignited as well. His own play when he first moved to center was full of threat and tact. He could cut in just as easily as swing out and had some great ball handling to put people away with. While we haven't seen much more of that since, I think he has at least been working hard on his defence and his books under Foster and Schmidt, and could turn into a Conrad (or even Nonu) one day. I'm not quite so sure Jordie has been making the same progress in the meantime.


I've been really happy with Jordies workons this year however, but that Final was a big learning curve and I've not really sure I've seen the calmness required to pull off Nonu type plays through his career so far. In fact he has often been the opposite and been a bit ropey when he was in more of a playmaker role at 15, I do think he has all the skills and desire to make these sorts of plays though, just having such a wide scope as a 'triple' threat put's a big demand on being able to read the game. So perhaps I might not go too much further than trying to use that big boot, and keeping it simple really. Like Nonu did.


I'm happy with all those 10 and 15 pictures myself, especially the ones where Jordan is playing more of a hand. He is someone who certainly could do with some sort of 'double' threat to help his line breaking ability and I certainly think he has some sort of innate skill to do the right thing. Sadly it's not going to happen in conjunction with Beaudie I don't think. This is going to be retirement. 2nd start back playing with his old courage (he actually did run the ball after all) and he's concussed again, not good.


Trouble is for this team, it could be a completely different 10, 12, 13. That shouldn't stop Razor from encouraging all the options the All Blacks have in those positions, right now. Also looking forward to Perofeta coming into fullback late instead of BB or Dmac going there.

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