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Melbourne coach Kevin Foote is calling on his Wallabies players to do more to arrest their disappointing Super Rugby Pacific form-slump that has left them winless after four rounds.
The Rebels fell 36-17 to the Brumbies on Friday night at AAMI Park and while showing some promising patches, they were no match for the unbeaten Canberra outfit.
The Brumbies scored six tries to two, with four in the bag before the home side crossed the white stripe.
The Rebels have been missing a number of players through injury, but many of those available have been below par in attack and also in their physicality in defence.
Foote says he needs his senior players, including Test veterans Matt Toomua and Reece Hodge and fellow Wallabies Joe Powell, Andrew Kellaway and Jordie Uelese to be at their best.
The coach, in his first season, said his stars were in agreement about their form.
“We definitely need to see more,” Foote said.
“They know themselves – we’ve got a rating system where each individual player gives themselves a score after the game and we do the same and we see where we’re at.
“The guys are brutally honest and the scores aren’t very high at the moment and they aren’t where they want to be and they’re taking that quite hard.
“The senior players know they haven’t hit their straps and we need them desperately to do that.”
Foote said he felt some players, such as Hodge, were possibly trying too hard, while confidence was low across the board.
He said he had also questioned his own messaging and whether he was negatively impacting the mindset of the team.
Winger Kellaway made his first appearance of the season after a foot injury and played only 60 minutes, but Foote said it was just managing his return and he would be available for the full 80 against the Waratahs next Saturday night at the SCG.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.