The Melbourne Rebels will view 2023 as the perfect opportunity to press their Super Rugby Pacific finals credentials.
The team narrowly missed the finals but saved their best for last, upsetting the Highlanders at AAMI Park to build momentum into next year.
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Kevin Foote has built an impressive roster lathered with Wallabies, bolstered by Melbourne-born, Italian winger Monty Ioane.
However, they will be desperate for results and their first finals appearance in the combined Super Rugby comp.
With this in mind, Rugby.com.au looks at the five key talking points for the Rebels heading into 2023.
1.Time to deliver
The Melbourne Rebels showed their capabilities at the end of the season, however, lacked the consistency to ever make a real push for the finals.
For Kevin Foote, the time has to be now to perform.
The squad is lathered full of Wallabies, including key game-breakers such as Andrew Kellaway, Reece Hodge and Italian sensation Monty Ioane.
At one stage, the Rebels had five players selected in the Wallabies 23 to face the All Blacks.
However, this has failed to translate at Super Rugby level, with 2023 the time for the Rebels to showcase their talent.
They'll take inspiration from the Waratahs' 2022 season and their quick ascension up the ladder.
2. Mafi’s the man
Alex Mafi will be given the chance to push his case as he makes the move south from the Reds, one of the more under-the-radar signings in Super Rugby.
Mafi found himself stuck behind Brandon Paenga-Amosa at the Reds before missing a large chunk of 2022 due to a neck injury.
The 26-year-old has been earmarked by Wallabies selectors in the past and with the position still wide open, strong performances will put him back in contention.
He will get the chance to work with an imposing park, including Wallabies Matt Gibbon, Pone Fa’amausili and the returning Sam Talakai joining cult hero Cabous Eloff.
3. Keeping everyone on the park
Like the Reds, a big reason behind the Rebels’ struggles in 2022 was their mounting injury toll, which forced Foote to blood a host of rookies.
This will continue into next year, with Kellaway, Rob Leota and Matt Philip picking up long-term injuries whilst in Wallaby camp.
The return of Trevor Hosea and Josh Kemeny will help offset their absences, sorely missed whilst they will be hoping the likes of James Tuttle and Brad Wilkin can back up their strong 2022 campaigns.
4. The Kellaway conundrum
Kevin Foote will have to nail down a position for Andrew Kellaway after he found himself floating through the backline towards the end of the season.
Kellaway made his name on the wing but finished the season in the centres after the emergence of young guns Lukas Ripley and Glen Vaihu.
The return of Ioane further complicates the position and with Kellaway emerging as Dave Rennie's primary fullback option, there will be questions about whether the 27-year-old makes the permanent move back to push his case before the World Cup.
If that’s the case, what happens to Mr Versatile Reece Hodge?
Hodge finished 2022 at inside centre for the depleted Wallabies, which could be a major hint for his Rebels future with Matt To’omua headed overseas.
5. Making Super Round Super
The Rebels need to use Super Round as the platform to launch their season.
This was said in last year’s iteration of this article but the time slot was pushed back two months, leaving them battered and struggling for form when the Crusaders arrived at AAMI Park.
There’s no excuse now as it returns to the Round two slot, facing the Hurricanes as the headline game on the Friday.
With their season opener against the Western Force in Perth, they can build early support and momentum if they can come away with two early wins. In a market dominated by AFL, they need all the success to galvanise their fan base.
