Ex Qantas chair Leigh Clifford leads new $30m plan to save Melbourne Rebels

A white knight investor claims to have the cash to save the Melbourne Rebels, which has racked up more than $22 million in debts.

Former Qantas chair Leigh Clifford is leading an ambitious plan to save the Melbourne Rebels. Picture: AFP

Former Qantas chair Leigh Clifford is leading an ambitious plan to move the Melbourne Rebels to a new base in the city’s western suburbs.

Mr Clifford, who helmed the board of Qantas for more than two decades, claims to have raised up to $30 million to resurrect the club.

That’s more than the Rebels’ $22 million debts, which include $11.7 million to the Australian Taxation Office and almost $2 million to the Victorian government.

However no details have been released on whether the debts would be cleared before the team was moved to a new base in Tarneit.

Mr Clifford was expected to put his own money into a private equity scheme to save the Rebels.

His daughter, Georgia Widdup, is a Melbourne Rebels board member and remains subject to a Directors Penalty Notice for failing to pay the ATO debt in November.

Leigh Clifford.

Georgia Widdup.

The Rebels directors also include prominent KC Tim North and forensic accountant Owain Stone.

The Rebels board has been desperately trying to save the club, which was plunged into voluntary administration in January.

They have blamed Rugby Australia for $7.8 million of the Rebels’ debts and have threatened to take the governing body to court unless a deal can be reached.

The plan to move the Rebels to Tarneit to share facilities with the A-League’s Western United Football Club was expected to be part of the deal to settle the debts.

The move to Melbourne’s west would provide a cheaper option to run the club, with games at AAMI Park currently costing $50,000 per fixture.

Rebels' Nick Jooste in action for the Rebels.

Ms Widdup said in a statement that the move to Tarneit “would be the game-changer that the Melbourne Rebels and the sport of rugby desperately needs in Victoria’’.

“We have an exciting vision and a detailed, common sense plan to grow the sport of rugby in the fastest growing municipality in Australia,’’ Ms Widdup said.

“The Rebels are committed to the women’s game, the Pasifika community and important programs for the western region’s youth and this move will enable us to

significantly expand these critical areas.’’

There had previously been a plan to merge the Melbourne Rebels with New Zealand’s Pasifika team, however a deal was never inked.

The Rebels board blindsided Rugby Australia with the announcement of the plan on Wednesday afternoon.

The Wyndham Council, which will be home to 500,000 people by 2040, has been briefed on the ambitious bid.

The Rebels also gave the Victorian Government an early look at its attempt to rebuild the club.

The new base would still be under the same Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union entity.

Western United has been building a 5000-seat stadium at Tarneit, with plans for a 15,000 seat venue.

Jason Sourasis, the Chairman of Western Melbourne Group which owns the football club, said: “There are obvious synergies hosting both Western United and the Melbourne Rebels and naturally, we are keen to explore those opportunities.”

The Melbourne Rebels board has until late April to finalise a deal to settle its remaining debts.

The ATO and Rugby Australia were likely to have key votes on the Rebels planned move.

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