Melbourne Rebels looking for more after early taste of success in trial against NSW Waratahs

THE Melbourne Rebels have to seize on the momentum of their first ever trial win.

Waratahs scrumhalf Brendan McKibbin splits the Rebels defence and charges upfield.

THE Melbourne Rebels have to seize on the momentum of their first ever trial win and take that in to Round 1 of the Suprt Rugby season.

The Rebels' 33-28 victory over Kurtley Beale andf the Waratahs in 40C Albury heat was the club's first trial win in its four-year history.

Rebels backline hardnut Mitch Inman - one of Melbourne's best in the win - said the side would take plenty away from the solid hit-out.

"It was a great start and it has given us a lot of confidence, but it is still very early days yet," Inman said.

Kurtley Beale offloads as he's tackled.

"We can't rest of anything and we have to just keep this momentum going.

"We've put a lot of hard work in, but we have to deliver on it.

"You can't rest on the training that has been going on."

Many at the club have said it has been the hardest pre-season campaign in the club's history under new coach Tony McGahan.

Not just physically, but also in terms of learning to play under McGahan's program.

Inman said it was satisfying to get some reward for effort on Saturday.

"Getting that game management right in the trials is important, so when the Super Rugby season comes around it becomes a natural process," he said.

"We got a lot of confidence out of playing a really good side in NSW and there were a lot of smiles on the boys' faces afterwards.

"That's because we put out on the field a lot of things we have been practicing over the last three or four months."

Inman was one of five Melbourne try-scorers on Saturday, in a game played in four quarters due to the heat.

Five-eighth Bryce Hegarty sparked the side after half-time, which lead to an avalanche of tries to set up the win.

Waratahs scrumhalf Brendan McKibbin splits the Rebels defence and charges upfield.

Former Rebel Kurtley Beale made his return from a shoulder reconstruction.

The Waratahs signing - who spent a tumultuous two years in Melbourne - played three of the four quarters against his former side.

Beale was good in patches, but could not stop the Rebels from clinching the win.

Inman said it was a well-deserved victory.

"We pounced during that third quarter and scored three tries," he said.

"That was just purely out of work rate.

"We outworked them towards the end of that third quarter and set ourselves up.

"It is full credit to the guys as we've worked hard and it paid off. "

The Rebels now face the Hurricanes at Simonds Stadium in Geelong on Saturday night.

The season begins against the Cheetahs at AAMI Park on February 28.