Dissection of the 2013 Australian Super Rugby squads – Melbourne Rebels
Roar Rookie By Selector, 7 Jan 2013 Selector is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- Melbourne Rebels, Rugby Union, Super Rugby
Related coverage
We continue our overview of the Australian Super Rugby teams and their chances for 2013 with a look at the Melbourne Rebels.
Best team
1. Laurie Weeks
2. Ged Robinson
3. Paul Alo-Emile
4. Hugh Pyle
5. Cadeyrn Neville
6. Scott Higginbotham
7. Jarrod Saffy
8. Gareth Delve
9. Nick Phipps
10. Kurtley Beale
11. Cooper Vuna
12. Rory Sidey
13. Mitch Inman
14. Kimami Situati
15. James O’Connor
16. Shota Horie
17. Eddie Aholelei
18. Chris Thomson
19. Luke Jones
20. Richard Kingi
21. Bryce Hegarty
22. Angus Roberts
Other members
23. Nic Henderson
24. James King
25. Scott Fuglistaller
26. Tim Davidson
27. Nic Stirzaker
28. Lachlan Mitchell
29. Jason Woodward
30. Alex Rokobaro
Extended playing squad
31. Pat Leafa – hooker
32. Cruze Ah-Nau – prop
33. Trent Dyer – No 8
34. Jordy Reid – openside
35. Tom English – centre
In
S Higginbotham, R Sidey, K Situai, E Aholelei, C Thomson, J Woodward, A Roberts, L Fuglistaller, N Stirzaker, A Rokobaro, B Hegarty
Out
Rodney Blake, Jono Owen, Adam Frier, Heath Tessman, Alister Campbell, Adam Byrnes, Michael Lipman, Danny Cipriani, Stirling Mortlock, Mark Gerrard, Tom Chamberlain, Julian Huxley, James Hilgendorf, Lloyd Johannson
Season chances
The Rebels will be banking on their big names to perform if they want to make an impact on this competition. Unfortunately they seem to again be lacking up front, which will not give them a strong basis for their big money backline.
The Phipps/Beale combo has received some much needed game time together and they appear to be developing a strong understanding of each other’s game. If they can get some front foot ball, this team will upset a few big names this season.
Predicted finish – conference fourth – overall 11th
Key Player
The Rebels seem to be missing a range of fetchers for 2013 and will be heavily reliant on Jarrod Saffy, who has not been in the traditional fetcher role in his past two years. He has been a strong performer for the Rebels and has narrowly missed out on Wallabies selection in past years. I am predicting Saffy’s biggest year, as he will benefit greatly from being part of such a strong backrow.
Up and comer
Paul Alo-Emile has not had any Super Rugby game time, but he has proved his worth in the Junior Wallabies system. He will need to step straight into the big time, as the Rebels are without much fire power up front. At 20, Alo-Emile is only an apprentice prop at scrum time, but does appear to have a bright future ahead of him.
Also keep an eye out for Bryce Hegarty who has chosen to join the Rebels after spending some time in the Broncos development squad. Bryce was touted as a future star for the Broncos, however I think he has made the right choice and learning off O’Connor and Beale will be great for his overall game.
Best buy
Scott Higginbotham is a fantastic acquisition for the Rebels and will form one of the most unlikely but best backrows with Saffy and Delve. He is strong, skilful and a handful in attack and defence. How he performs in a pack with a much weaker platform than the Queensland Reds will really determine his worth.
Biggest loss
The Rebels have relied heavily on a core of senior players to set a platform for the team and culture since their induction. Unfortunately this is where the torch must now be passed and the team looks to be significantly lacking in experience. However, this may work in the Rebels’ favour, similar to the ACT Brumbies last year, as an unknown entity.
When it comes down to the biggest loss, I think that Mark Gerrard was one of the best backs last year and was highly underrated by the Wallabies selectors. His boot and ability to turn nothing into opportunity will be missed by both fans and the Rebels.
Looking to join The Roar team? We're searching for an experienced Group Sales Manager to lead our team in Sydney. Yes, this does mean you get to work with the site all day long! If you're a digital media sales star, we want to hear from you. Apply now.
Passionate about your union? Then sign up to The Roar's brand new daily union email, delivering Roaring articles directly to you day-in, day-out. You'll love it!
Click here to join now!
- Explore:
- Melbourne Rebels, Rugby Union, Super Rugby
January 7th 2013 @ 8:20am
Who Needs Melon said | January 7th 2013 @ 8:20am | Report comment
The Rebels dilemma is that they don’t have a (good) specialist 10. Neither Bale nor JOC have played most of their professional career at 10 and most would agree it’s not their best position. Not yet at least.
I personally think Beale is far, FAR better at fullback and I’d be putting him there. I think JOC deserves some time at 12 – I think that could be his best position. But, given the hole at 10, I’d be trying him there instead of Beale. I can see some chopping and changing at this position as the season wears on.
Forwards (excluding front row) seem pretty darn good to me. The team has a bit of a Force feel about it.
January 7th 2013 @ 8:29am
Jutsie said | January 7th 2013 @ 8:29am | Report comment
Beale performed better than either JOC or cipriani in his few games at 10 (vs bulls, crusaders, force) for the rebels last year however he probably wont be playing at 10 for the wallabies so I’d like to see him back at his best position of 15.
January 7th 2013 @ 9:39am
Selector said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:39am | Report comment
I I do like Beale at 15 as well, he is much better with space, but I think they should initially try to utilise the Phipps/Beale combonation that started to take shape for the Wallabies towards the back end of last year.
January 7th 2013 @ 10:22am
Who Needs Melon said | January 7th 2013 @ 10:22am | Report comment
It’s exactly these conundrums that I fear will be a problem for the Rebels. Rather than the existence of options being a plus, it will promote chopping and changing, ego clashes, an unsettled back line and spill into players being played out of position at Wallaby level.
Sorry to be a negative nelly. Hopefully they prove me dead wrong. I’m sure they will get together before the season and agree that since many haven’t played for a while, it will take time for things to come good and, regardless of results, they should choose a combination and stick to it and support each other.
January 7th 2013 @ 11:01am
Selector said | January 7th 2013 @ 11:01am | Report comment
Your not being negative at all Melon, I think the Australian coach should sit down with each state team and tell them where he would like certain players to be played in the interest of national selection. Obviously they also have to take into consideration the best thing for each team, but still those discussions should take place.
Australian Rugby has fallen into a style of picking the best backs, not always picking the best backline.
January 7th 2013 @ 12:49pm
rl said | January 7th 2013 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
worth checking G&GR for Scott Allen’s dissection of who he thinks should be at 10 for the Wallabies on (or, should I say, running the Wallabies attack), very interesting.
I do agree that the Rebs looked OK with Kurtley at 10, but I think he has more limitations than positives there overall. Kurtley has a great running and short passing game, but he also stands too deep, has a pretty average long passing game, and his kicking decisions are terrible. His best position for the Wallabies is 15, so why not play him there for the Rebels? (plus if JOC is at 10 the two can alternate between 10 & 15 during a game anyway)
My perfect world would see Hegarty emerge as a viable 10, allowing JOC to play 12, and Kurtley at 15. But that might be too much to ask of Hegarty, so JOC at 10.
January 7th 2013 @ 10:25pm
sheek said | January 7th 2013 @ 10:25pm | Report comment
Hi Melon,
I disagree about Beale not being desirable on the grounds he can might be exposed at test level at 10, but he can get away with it at super level.
Obviously it works better for the Rebels with Beale at 10 & ‘Boy Brand’ at 15.
January 12th 2013 @ 2:16pm
Crazy Horse said | January 12th 2013 @ 2:16pm | Report comment
The Force have four specialist number 10s, all of them better than Beale at 10.
January 7th 2013 @ 8:48am
stillmissit said | January 7th 2013 @ 8:48am | Report comment
Beale to remain at 5/8 and I would rather see JOC inside centre than FB. The problems are up front and in the centres and JOC at 12 would help this, although I have no idea who could play FB (a critical position in My Book). Will end up battling with Force again this season but with better results overall.
January 7th 2013 @ 9:10am
Jutsie said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:10am | Report comment
I dont know how good these blokes are but from my research I believe jason woodward, alex rokabaro and bryce hegarty have all had experience at 15. Hegarty has also played 5/8
January 7th 2013 @ 9:21am
Boomeranga said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:21am | Report comment
Angus Roberts was 15 and 10 for Sydney Uni this year as well. At that level he looked good in the few tv games I watched.
January 7th 2013 @ 1:26pm
Snakebite Jacobs said | January 7th 2013 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
I agree he is a good prospect and can make a break. Probably too inexperienced for a s15 start, but could be a good later in the season
January 7th 2013 @ 9:42am
Selector said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:42am | Report comment
Who would you play at 15? Be interesting to see if Hegarty would be up to the task, although I haven’t seen enough of him to know how would perform at this level.
January 7th 2013 @ 9:45am
Jutsie said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Im not a league follower so havent seen much of him. Did he get much game time at the broncos?
January 7th 2013 @ 10:01am
Selector said | January 7th 2013 @ 10:01am | Report comment
From memory I think he was a very handy playmaker and knew his way to the try line (I didn’t watch too much Under 20′s). To be honest I have more been listning to the hype, which had him touted as the next long term Half back for the Broncos and a future superstar.
January 7th 2013 @ 8:48am
Boomeranga said | January 7th 2013 @ 8:48am | Report comment
Front row and centres seem their weakness. Hopefully Luke Jones and Stirzacker get lots of game time.
January 7th 2013 @ 10:07am
Gav said | January 7th 2013 @ 10:07am | Report comment
Hegarty is part of the EPS also, we have a 6 player EPS this season.
Beale at 10 every day of the week, we play our best with him there.
Jury will be out for Saffy, considering his neck injury last year. Lets hope he can get back to his best, a tackling machine ala. of 2011.
Continue to watch Vuna, each season he begins to become that X-Factor and learns the nuances of the game.
As long as we beat the Tahs in Sydney, and win overseas, I’ll be happy to play it by ear.
January 7th 2013 @ 10:26am
hog said | January 7th 2013 @ 10:26am | Report comment
I think depth could be the issue, hopefully competitive but once the injuries start that will be the test.
January 7th 2013 @ 11:48am
nickoldschool said | January 7th 2013 @ 11:48am | Report comment
On paper, looks like another year of transition for the Rebels. The only positive is that being part of the Australian conference they are a chance as there are many question marks in other franchises behind the Reds.
I still don’t see these guys beating the Tahs and Brumbies but who knows with these two.
January 7th 2013 @ 12:10pm
allblackfan said | January 7th 2013 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
Expect Saffy to come under pressure from Flugistaller (a loose forward) for a starting spot.
January 7th 2013 @ 2:36pm
Selector said | January 7th 2013 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
Haven’t seen much of Flugistaller, but have heard good things. I hope your right ABF, would love to see the Rebels get some real competition for spots.
January 11th 2013 @ 3:33pm
pogo said | January 11th 2013 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
Yeah flugistaller is good, jsut unlucky to have some stiff competition for hurricanes spots.
January 7th 2013 @ 12:52pm
The Kebab Connoisseur said | January 7th 2013 @ 12:52pm | Report comment
Would like to see two things coming from the Rebels going forward:
1. Real Victorian players pushed into the squad and given opportunities to give validity to the VRU(the oldest competition in Australia)
2. Local mainstream media with the ability to cover the sport. At the moment it is only on Fox Sports. They could have a Rebels replay on say Ch. 10, or a highlights package and some news during the week. Very hard sport to follow even when you live a couple of hundred metres from their home ground. It is actually almost easier to waltz up to their training and asked the players personally what’s going on.
January 7th 2013 @ 2:24pm
Amateur Hour said | January 7th 2013 @ 2:24pm | Report comment
Do that and come back and write an article based on what they say.
January 7th 2013 @ 2:38pm
The Kebab Connoisseur said | January 7th 2013 @ 2:38pm | Report comment
The way they are going they would probably ask me to join the team. Could they play any worse?
Just do not get the point of bringing in Japanese players when you have a load of people here that would be just as good and better for promotional value in Melbourne. The team is run by Cochroaches no doubt.
January 7th 2013 @ 1:11pm
Nick said | January 7th 2013 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
So Mitchell gets dropped from the entire 22 why?
I also expect Woodward to be much higher on the pecking order than you’ve suggested and I KNOW Nic Henderson will rank much higher, he’s a probable starter.
Also I’m reasonably sure Situati is injured.
If you wanted to list what you think the Rebels 22 will look like that’s 100% fine but to refer to it as an overview when you’re selections are this outlandish is absurd.
January 7th 2013 @ 1:40pm
Selector said | January 7th 2013 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
Mitchell has certainly done nothing wrong, I just don’t see him as a long term prospect, especially with some of the young talent coming through.
Woodward I haven’t seen too much of him, is he worth a look? That’s a shame if Situati is injured, as he was for a lot of last year as well, btu from what I have seen of him, he is fantastic in attack.
I think Henderson is not up to the job personally. I am shocked he is going for another year.
It’s purely my speculation, as are most articles that are written by Roarers. I write this based on what I have seen, but this is without knowing what goes in the off season/behind closed doors.
January 8th 2013 @ 2:25pm
jeznez said | January 8th 2013 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
Henderson is likely to be the starting loosehead. Weeks at tight, haven’t seen either of the other two prop
January 7th 2013 @ 1:20pm
Markus said | January 7th 2013 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
I’d have Saffy, Higgs, Delve and Fuglistaller fighting for the 4 backrow spots (one taking the bench spot), and Luke Jones covering Pyle and Neville in the 2nd row.
Chris Thomson was very injury-prone and, unless his game has drastically changed during his stint in France, just did not have the physicality that a 6ft8 player should.