When Jack Debreczeni left the Melbourne Rebels for Japan at the end of a miserable 2017 Super Rugby season he didn’t expect to return, ever.
But after being lured back by incoming coach Dave Wessels, he’s gone from no contract to wearing the No.10 for their opening round clash with the Queensland Reds on Friday night at AAMI Park.
Debreczeni will partner Test half Will Genia, who was one of 10 Test players named in the new-look Melbourne side, bolstered by ex-Western Force players following their axing from the competition.
Eight Rebels from last season have retained a starting jersey, while six Force players are in the first 15 along with Genia, who has returned to Super Rugby from France.
Debreczeni said a stint in Japan’s second division among semi-professionals helped him rediscover his love of rugby and regain his confidence, which took a beating with Melbourne only managing one win in 2017.
“The last two years before going to Japan I over-thought a lot of things,” the 24-year-old said on Wednesday.
“I was worried about the team and obviously as a 10 most of it falls on you if the attack is going well or bad.
“I wasn’t playing the footy in front of me but now I’m more mature and better prepared to handle those responsibilities this year.”
Previously splitting his time between five-eighth and fullback, Debreczeni said he played only at 10 for the Honda Heat which had helped him develop his game.
He said playing alongside veteran Genia at Melbourne could only further help.
“Will’s a world class player and he does a lot of controlling on the field so I can just play footy and it’s been really fun the last few weeks training with him,” Debreczeni said.
“His communication is unreal – always lets me know what he needs more of from me and demands more and I think that makes me better.”
With such talent in the side, the pressure is on the Rebels to perform, having never finished better than 10th in their eight years in the competition.
“There’s a lot of excitement around the team with a sense of the unknown, being a new group,” Debreczeni said.
“There’s a lot of potential there so hopefully we go well this Friday.”
Rebels
Dane Haylett-Petty, Jack Maddocks, Tom English, Reece Hodge, Sefa Naivalu, Jack Debreczeni, Will Genia, Amanaki Mafi, Angus Cottrell, Lopeti Timani, Adam Coleman (c), Matt Philip, Jermaine Ainsley, Jordan Uelese, Tetera Faulkner. Res: Anaru Rangi, Fereti Sa’aga, Sam Talakai, Sam Jeffries, Ross Haylett-Petty, Michael Ruru, Semisi Tupou, Billy Meakes.
Force4good
Guest
Of course not, every genuine rugby fan in Australia thinks the Force should have been retained...
Ex force fan
Guest
Stand corrected. Counted again and also get 10. However stand by my argument that the Force form the core of the Rebels side.
Train Without A Station
Guest
Not at all the Force’s fault. Even if they lobbied for the dodginess, they haven’t don’t anything wrong. But word of this has been in the background since close to a year ago. Maybe the ARU did do their due diligence after all, we even with this, the Force’s own projections had them losing money if they performed the same as 2017.
piru
Roar Rookie
Well we should secede, but that's another topic. Point was it's not the Force's fault if it was a dodgy deal - in fact reading the article it's not even clear it was dodgy, just a possibility based on the timeline (and a healthy dose of political point scoring).
Nope
Guest
WA govt operates something like this; Premier; "Yes Gina/Twiggy? What is it you want us to do? We can't do that. Thats illegal. Oh what? You'll donate 1 mill to the Party? Sweet. Consider it done. Anything else you need, just call." Premier then goes on TV to appease the mob........ "It was those elites in the Eastern states. They forced our hand. They take all our GST revenue and give nothing back. We should secede". Mob descends into parochial fervour.
piru
Roar Rookie
Are you going to suggest that ARU had any clue about the inner workings of the WA Govt? They never even came to WA!
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Are you going to point to the potentially unlawful sponsorship as to why the Force should have been retained? http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/inquiry-to-refer-potentially-unlawful-western-force-sponsorship-to-corruption-watchdog-20180220-h0we0d.html
Browny
Guest
Correct; 6 & 4 for 10 total. Faulkner, Ainsley, Philip, Coleman, Cottrell, DHP starting. Rangi, RHP, Ruru, Meakes on the pine. You'd think even if Parling was starting then Philip would take Jeffires spot on the bench, keeping the 'force tally' the same. Koroibete is out at the moment too but you'd think he pushes Maddocks to the bench and Tupou loses his spot. No change in tally. I still rate Fainga'a and Hardwick more than Cottrell and RHP (keeping in mind they're fairly different types of player) so if they're fit/available then I'd personally have them at 7 and 20. Like the idea of Colby starting at 7 as a more traditional openside and having Hardwick as a supersub/mr fixit replacing either Timani or Fainga'a depending on the way we want to finish the game. That being said it could also work the other way too. At this stage my 23 would be Faulkner, Uelese, Ainsley, Parling, Coleman, Timani, Fainga'a, Mafi, Genia, Debreczeni?, Koroibete, Hodge, English, Naivalu, DHP, Rangi, Sa'aga, Talakai, Philip, Hardwick, Ruru, Meakes, Maddocks. Works out to be 11 MR (9 start/2 bench), 9 WF (4/5) plus Parling, Genia and Talakai from elsewhere. If Lance stayed I'd have him at 10 which would push it to a 10:10:3 split.
StuM
Guest
Please God, make it stop..!
LifestyleSpecialist
Roar Rookie
Very handy pack indeed. Lacking a recognized class 7 and Timani hasn't lived up to potential but overall a pretty strong Super Rugby level pack and it includes player of the year Mafi at 8. Reds pack has some muscle in it too though with Tui, Rodda, Higgers, Caleb Timu etc so should be pretty brutal up front.
Force4good
Guest
The Rebels shouldn’t even be in the competition. It’s just demoralising seeing most of the ex Force players lining up for them. A perfect metaphor for the utter mess RA has made of our once great game, shrinking by the year. We wish the ex Force guys all the best individually but like many others will be switching off SR now. And crossing our fingers Twiggy and World Rugby can help save the game in Oz…
Paul D
Guest
I count 6 of 15 starters as ex force. And at least 1 (Phillip) is only there due to absences/injury. Then 4 on the bench. 10 of 23. But lets not let the truth get in the way of a rant..
Malo
Guest
Maddocks has a lot more natural talent that needs to be harnessed
Malo
Guest
Yeah let’s see if they can beat the Sunwolves
Ex force fan
Guest
12 of the match day 23 are from the Force - so contrary to what TWAS were stating the majority of the match day 23 played for the Force last year. Wessels was clever to build the team around the Force core. Just want to make it clear: This is not a reinForced Rebels side but a relocated Force side - reinforced by recent signings and Rebels players. As Force fan, I view the Rebels franchise as the franchise that stole our coach, team and Superugby spot. It is not their fault, the blame is clearly that of Pulver, Clyne and the EARU/FURA.
ChipandChagger
Roar Rookie
Agree - he has shown promise but has never been an electric player. If he is first-choice he is going to choke a lethal backline outside him. Maybe its too early for Maddocks or Hodge to take the role so Wessels is going with experience over x factor in the pivot.
John R
Roar Guru
I can, he made a tonne of 'snipes' playing for the Wallabies last year.
Fionn
Guest
Apparently he is Tonga on personal business. Move Maddocks to 10.
Jameswm
Guest
Is Colby Faingaa injured? Big pack, big back row backup. Parling? If Debreczeni doesn’t work then Hodge goes to 10 and Meakes comes on.
Galatzo
Guest
Waiting to see how Seth Naivalu goes now that he's back. He had a 10.5 clocking at age 20 six years ago. If he works on his pace now that he's healthy he'll have a hell of a 40m time. If he's catching and kicking is reliable for the Rebs, he could be a great wing for the WBs and we'd have one very fast backline.