Rebels to serve the community
February 03 2010
Anybody signing for the Melbourne rebels over the next few months is not going to be signing up for a sinecure, according to Rod Macqueen.
Players will sign for playing, but will also be assigned to a local school, charity, business and rugby club for which they will have to work to earn their keep.
"One of the things we are talking to all of the players about is the importance of the culture within the Rebels side, giving back to the community is very much a part of that," Macqueen said to AAP.
"There will be four obligations in their contract, one to a school, a club side in Melbourne, the other is to a business and the other is to a charity of their choice."
He said feedback from prospective Rebels had been 'very positive'. "I think it's something that the players actually want," he said.
"I'm a great believer in the balance in life, I believe people are able to perform to the best of their ability by having a balance and I think this is a step toward that."
As well as all that, the contracts are also designed to exclude the possibility of players arriving with a mercenary attitude, putting cash before culture.
Recruitment is proving tough going for the team, according to assistant coach Damien Hill and coaching consultant John Connolly.
The Rebels are allowed ten overseas players and the coaches have looked to Europe, but with less money on offer and with many European clubs well-advanced in negotiations to retain their finest, not to mention the players still harbouring notions of a World Cup squad spot, foreign players are more likely to be coming from closer to home.
"We had a debrief with (Hill and Connolly) after they got back about what the market is there and what players might be available," said operations manager Greg Harris.
"We've found the timing of all this has been very difficult because the players over there are currently being pressured to finalise their arrangements for next season because it's near the end of their season.
"We've got a very small window to be able to try and secure any players we're looking at."