Melbourne Rebels to release Wallaby James O'Connor at end of Super Rugby season
HE is one of Australian rugby's most marketable faces but James O'Connor will be clubless next week after being cut adrift by the Rebels.
HE is one of Australian rugby's most marketable faces but Wallabies star James O'Connor will be clubless next week after being cut adrift by the Melbourne Rebels yesterday.
The hangover of defeat in the third Test against the Lions on Saturday night compounded for O'Connor when the Rebels announced they wouldn't be offering a new contract to the controversial Test no.10.
With the Rebels playing their last game of the season on Friday, O'Connor - a man asked to guide the Wallabies into battle against the Lions - won't even have a guaranteed job in Super Rugby next year.
Just how long that limbo lasts, however, remains to be seen, with the Western Force expected to swoop and re-sign their former star, who left Perth for Melbourne in 2011.
DEFEAT THROWS DEANS TO THE LIONS
Still-smouldering bridges will have to be mended at the Force after an acrimonious split in 2010, when the WA club withdrew a contract extension offer for O'Connor after the youngster set down KPIs for the organisation to meet as part of his negotiations.
That relationship is likely to be happily repaired, however, with both the Force and O'Connor needing each other equally.
The Force are desperate to recruit star names and playmakers, and other available options for O'Connor - NSW, Queensland and the ACT - have all said they're not interested in his services.
Why the disinterest? And why would a battling club like the Rebels let a star player go?
The Daily Telegraph understands both questions come down to O'Connor's perceived value for money as a player, and his personality clashing with teammates.
After Harold Mitchell and the Rebels' private ownership consortium pulled out two weeks ago, major belt-tightening is occurring in Victorian rugby.
O'Connor's large salary was not viewed as yielding sufficient return on investment, and a decision was taken to plough dollars into junior talent instead.
"I would like to acknowledge the role James has played in helping the Rebels gain traction in the very competitive sporting landscape in Melbourne," Rebels CEO Rob Clarke said.
"After three years in the Super 15 competition, the club is entering the next phase of development. I am very confident in our player recruitment strategies which continue to identify some excellent emerging talent."
It is unknown if Damien Hill, or the Rebels' potential new coach for 2014, had a say in releasing O'Connor.
But figures from FoxSportsStats appear to back up the Rebels' move, with O'Connor winning just three of 20 games in two injury-marred seasons.
The Rebels actually had a better winning percentage in the 12 games O'Connor missed, winning five games.
Sources close to Rebels players indicate relationships between O'Connor and several senior teammates had also soured considerably this year, with the high-profile star's attitude and behaviour rubbing many people the wrong way.
The departure of O'Connor may put Melbourne back in the race to keep Kurtley Beale, who many believe has already agreed to a deal with former club NSW next season.
