Rebels sign first local player to Super squad

Dirty team Sth Darwin. Most violent game I ever played was against them. Every ruck had punches thrown and some had stomping. You could still ruck back then so we all got tagged. I mean everyone. My nose got broken. Ref swallowed his whistle the whole game. Told me later he didn't want to do anything to antagonise them. And it was a draw. We went through all that and we didn't even win. Beat them in the final though.

There nay not be the quantity of players in the Melbourne area, compared with Brisbane and Sydney, but there sure is quality. The guys who play rugby in Melbourne juniors are often second generation expats, who really want to play union, and have avoided the best efforts of their schools and local footy clubs to get them into AFL. Siliva Siliva (Stephen Moore's backup) is another Melbourne product, Endeavour Hills club I believe.

I remember the Darwin Mozzies. There used to be a yearly game when 4-5 all black joined South Darwin and 4-5 Wallabies played for Casurina. Back in the day.. (late 80's) they could compete with Western Australia, and I remember them just losing to Canada. My Dad coached them and his best mate was the WA coach. Very fond memories of meeting greats like Buck Shelford, Cowboy Shaw, and Steve Cutler to name a few.

I suppose it means that the local comp now attracts outside players rather than local players having to go elsewhere. This is obviously a product of the Rebels being here. The standard of the Dewar shield has improved out of sight. Not so long ago, the Melbourne rep side was regularly beaten by the Darwin Mosquitos. There are a lot of good footballers in Darwin but it only has a population of about 150k. Only had 5 clubs in first grade and only 2 grades. Melbourne should've smashed them.

Both got scholarship at TSS which has been tapping into the Victorian market for some time. Ioane was offered similar at Terrace. Hopefully with the Rebels and now the NRC players won't feel the need to move to Brisbane or Sydney in order to get ahead in rugby.

Irony. It exists.

Northcote, Llyod Johansen is from box hill as is Benny taps

Don't know about Toomua's history. His Victorian background might just be as extensive as Elsom and Joe Roff's. Lealiifano completed school there. I think he played for Box Hill?

See my post above.

There are also Melbourne Rugby products playing in other Super Rugby teams and abroad that haven't joined the Rebels. The likes of Ulugia, Lealiifano, etc.

What can the ARU do in all seriousness. I know the Rebels and Force have more overseas playing spots but most islanders are offered good money in France where there are far more opportunities. Some that get contracts in Australia will try and become eligible for the Wallabies which doesn't benefit test Rugby in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Clermont and Brive are setting up academies in the islands to scout and train up players.The ARU can't compete with that.

You mean what is Australian rugby doing? The IRB is pumping lots of resources into Island rugby, far more value than any 'nsw cup' league team will offer.

From the Rebels site "Jordy joined the Club on an Extended Playing Squad (EPS) contract in 2013 from the Manly Marlins, his hometown Club, and signed a new contract that will keep him in Melbourne until at least the end of the 2016 Super Rugby season." So it looks as if Reid was picked up on an EPS contract from Sydney originally rather than being spotted in the local Melb comp.

Wow. I was referring to restrictions on overseas players - which vary in Australia, Rebels are allowed up to 10 as there are not enough home-grown players in Australia.. NZ Super franchises are allowed no more than 2 players who are ineligible to represent NZ - hence the importance of 'local' or not.

"Naivalu played at Ovalau Rugby Club in Fiji before moving to Melbourne as part of the Rugby Plus program, an initiative of Island Breeze Australia and Box Hill Rugby Club that encourages young men to become role models for their communities through sport." He was a nominee for Fijian cub rugby's 'Best and Fairest' player in their 2012 season. Nasinu (Fiji) high school sprint champion 2011. Maybe that's why they chose him for this role model scheme - sounds very positive, not something i was aware of, and good luck to him in Super rugby, shows the opportunities rugby can offer these days. My query re 'local' was whether he was under some sort of quota system for Rebels ie they are allowed a certain number of players from overseas, maybe that doesn't apply and 'local' simply used because he's playing in the Melbourne Rising in NRC. Note the G&G site words it 'first player selected from local competition'.

That would make all Rebels players "locals" then, would it not?

If you're right about him only arriving in Melbourne two years ago then I don't think that counts as local. That would make Jordie Reid a local. I got the impression that he came up through local rugby in the Box Hill club. Not so? There have been a few local guys over the years who have come up through school or club rugby in Melbourne and then gone north to take their chances in Sydney or Brisbane. Mostly they come back disappointed. They miss their mum's cooking or whatever. They keep playing local club rugby and work a day job. A couple of guys have done alright. E McKenzie from Scotch and D Ioane from Endeavour Hills come to mind. Weren't Toomua and CLL from Melbourne originally? Does anyone know which clubs?

Surely if he was playing in Fiji two years ago and moved to Victoria as an adult then Gareth Widdop must count as a "local Victorian boy" for the Storm?

Local means he lives in Victoria. Tricky concept, I know.

About time. Why is it taking so long.