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'Finals is on our radar': What has 'hurt' the Rebels in the past

By Finn Morton
(Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

The Melbourne Rebels have only made the Super Rugby playoffs once in their history, but one of their key players isn’t pointing fingers ahead of the new campaign.

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Former Australian Under-20s flanker Brad Wilkin made his Rebels debut in 2019 after an injury-riddled stint with the New South Wales Waratahs.

Injuries continued to plague the rising stars career once he moved south to Victoria, but the 27-year-old took a turn for the better this year.

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Wilkin played 14 matches in Super Rugby Pacific – starting all but two – which was a significant increase on his career-best of seven matches during the 2018 season with the Tahs.

But make no mistake, Wilkin has played some important rugby for the Rebels.

The backrower was also part of the Rebels squad that created history in Super Rugby Australia a couple of years ago, as they qualified for the playoffs in the most dramatic circumstances possible.

Wilkin came off the bench in the Super Saturday clash with the Western Force in Newcastle, which the Victoria-based club won by four points – the exact score they needed to progress.

Generally though, wins have been hard to come by for the Rebels throughout their history; their best finish in a campaign which wasn’t hampered by COVID was ninth.

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But Wilkin isn’t pinning the blame on anyone else.

The star flanker said the Rebels have been their “own worst enemy” in some losses over the years.

“We speak of a fast and fearless game style, so in order to do that we have to back ourselves and there’s a lot of emphasis on the forward and the set-piece in order to deliver that,” Wilkin told The Roar.

“We’ve got Carter Gordon, who has a couple of years of experience under his belt. I don’t want to put him under too much pressure, but he’ll have a big role for us next year and hopefully he can learn from a lot of the experiences that he already has.

“I just want to see us compete at everything we do. I think we’ve always been a team where if we lose a game, it’s generally by our own mistakes. We’ve been our own worst enemy at times.

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“Discipline is a word that is quite hot in Australian rugby and you only had to watch the test matches to see that the Wallabies’ discipline hurt them a lot throughout the year.

“I think that’s something that has hurt us in the past as well, so jut being a bit more disciplined around our game style and a bit more ruthless so we’re not shooting ourselves in the foot.”

But the past is the past, and that can’t be undone or altered.

Instead, Wilkin is focused on the season ahead; aiming for a finals berth with the team as the flanker discussed how “determined and dedicated” he is to win.

“I prioritised just staying on the park (this year) and I was able to achieve that,” he added.

“But definitely moving forward to next year, looking around the group we have, I have been around a bit at the club.

“I’m coming into my fifth year, so naturally I’m aware of my position in the team of having to be a bit more of a voice and a leader around some of the younger guys coming through.

“We’ve got good, young talent in the Rebels, so offering my experience where I can.

“I’m very determined and dedicated to win. I’ll be trying to help the team achieve a good result next year. Finals is on our radar.”

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j
john 41 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 2 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

14 Go to comments
T
Trevor 5 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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