Storm winger Marika Koroibete confirms switch to Super Rugby’s Melbourne Rebels

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/stor...50c6b93d9f4811

STAR NRL winger Marika Koroibete has advised Melbourne Storm of his decision to quit rugby league and join cross-code rivals Melbourne Rebels next season.

As reported by the Herald Sun last week, Koroibete will link with the Rebels from next season.

The Fijian flyer will join the Super Rugby franchise on a two-year deal after receiving a lucrative joint offer from the Rebels and Australian Rugby Union. It was an offer that Storm could not compete with.

“It was a very hard decision to make to leave Storm, but it’s a great opportunity for my young family here in Melbourne and my family back home in Fiji,” Koroibete said.

“While I have made the decision about next year, my focus is on finishing here at Storm in the best way, it’s a tight group of players and hopefully we can have a good rest of the season.

“I am very excited about what we can do this season.”

Koroibete has played 57 NRL games, 41 of those for Storm, and has scored 27 tries for the club.

An AAMI Park favourite, Koroibete will not have to move far next season.

Storm and Rebels are both based at AAMI Park and share the same training and administration facilities.

“He is very popular amongst our players and affectionately known as the Flying Fijian amongst fans,” Storm football manager Frank Ponissi said.

“We totally understand though this was a very tough decision for him and he has made it in the best interests of his partner Emma and young son Iliesa.

“We wish Marika and his family all the best and they are always welcome back at Melbourne Storm, we know his focus will be on finishing in the best possible way with the club for the rest of the 2016 season.”



Good signature for the Rebels. Interesting that it seems it was a big money offer with the ARU involved and the storm were unable to match it. All the while the ARU pumps money into a privately owned organisation.

They have a backline full of talent now. Crawford is out of contract for 2017 maybe we can coax him across he has been injured but has hardly been seen.

Signed under the Folou/Hunt Law for cross coders, just another way of expanding the salary caps without actually doing so.

Good way to get a pay rise & a change of scenery without having to move cities!

I'd have gotten TF out of Melbourne though.

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Originally Posted by jono

I'd have gotten TF out of Melbourne though.

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Better than Canberra.

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Originally Posted by jargan83

Better than Canberra.

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anywhere is better than Canberra,even Hamilton


well,maybe not !

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Originally Posted by Herbasimplex

Good signature for the Rebels. Interesting that it seems it was a big money offer with the ARU involved and the storm were unable to match it. All the while the ARU pumps money into a privately owned organisation.

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and how much can we all not wait until the ARU take over the Force so they can match the untold squillions of dollars they have thrown at EVERY OTHER FRANCHISE IN AUSTRALIA.

simply getting by without becoming insolvent is an indicator of how well we could use the money once we get it.

Make no mistake, the outcome of this deal will be a deal breaker for lots of Force members, and I'm not just talking about them staying with the Force. If the ARU aren't serious about spending whatever money is required to build a world class playing group in the West then many people over here will be done with Rugby itself.

Some will stay with the community game, but many will turn their back on the whole game if the inequity is apparent enough.

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Originally Posted by brokendown gunfighter

anywhere is better than Canberra,even Hamilton


well,maybe not !

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even considering the cuddles & bubbles?

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Originally Posted by jargan83

Better than Canberra.

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I'd probably prefer Canberra to be honest. war memorial & if i really got the shits with the joint I could nip upto Sydney

The War Memorial is the only thing that keeps Canberra from being razed to the ground.

They reckon Koroibete has a big cult following in Melbourne and they hope to get some cross code support for the Rabble. Plus Cheika wanted him. Loves a Mungo does Cheik. Bloody Souffs supporter. Maybe he can get us Alex Johnson. :S

For the record, I'm not against the deal. The bloke is dynamite and the Wobblies need some real gas in the back three. He hasn't played Rugby at a senior level though. he's been around in the Mungos for years and is only 23.

I think the transition probably isn't as hard for a winger, and being Fijian he's probably got lots of sevens experience (even if it is with a coconut on a beach) I think there's every chance he'll transition as well as, say, Lote Tuquiri, Wendell Sailor or Matt Rogers ;)

Get over it. Reading the stats might help. But I doubt it.

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Originally Posted by jono

even considering the cuddles & bubbles?

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Was that the names of those two girls, Jono?

Bubbles is a Chimp for starters ;)

So long as it doesn't taste like old people...