Melbourne Rebels star Will Genia on how it feels to face his beloved Queensland Reds

Gun Melbourne Rebels recruit Will Genia has admitted to mixed emotions heading into his showdown with the Queensland Reds at AAMI Park.

Rebels recruit Will Genia faces a tough test against his former team.

GUN Melbourne Rebels recruit Will Genia has admitted to mixed emotions heading into his showdown with the Queensland Reds at AAMI Park.

Genia said midway through last year, when out of contract and eyeing off a Super Rugby return after his stint in France, that he couldn’t imagine playing for any other Australian club.

But after a deal couldn’t be worked out between Genia and the club he played 114 games for between 2007-15, the Rebels swooped.

“I love Queensland. I’m a Queenslander and I’ll always love the Reds, I’m not going to lie,” Genia said.

“I’ll always be proud of everything I was lucky enough to achieve there.

“But professional sport is a business and I understand that. There wasn’t an opportunity to go back there.

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An emotional Genia takes a moment after his final Reds game. (Liam Kidston.)

“But I’ve really embraced the culture with this group and to be honest I want to be as competitive as ever and go as hard if not harder than what I did when I was at the Reds because I’m really enjoying myself here.”

With 12 players arriving in Melbourne from the Force as well as a sprinkle of players from other clubs, Wallabies scrum-half Genia said it was a good time to be a new player at the Rebels.

“It makes it a lot easier to fit in because I’m not the only new person here,” he said.

“It’s a real blending together of cultures from the two teams — the Force and the Rebels — so that’s made it a little bit easier.”

New colours — Genia on his first day at Rebels training. (Chris Gottaas)

Genia missed his club’s two trial matches with a back injury, but said he was feeling fine.

“The back’s good, no real issues any more,” he said.

“How much time will I play? I don’t really know. I haven’t played any rugby for a long time.

“But I’ll back the work that I’ve done in pre-season.”

A veteran of nine Super Rugby seasons — including Queensland’s 2011 title-winning campaign — Genia, 30, insisted this Rebels list was capable of success.

“Definitely, if you look at the quality of players just on paper.

Genia sports a new haircut at training on Sunday. (Melbourne Rebels)

“But for me the most important thing is just trying to jell as a group.

“Dave (Wessels) has been really good with emphasising that to the squad because in the successful teams that I’ve been a part of that’s been the biggest thing.

“We haven’t had the best players or world class players everywhere, but we just had a genuine affection for one another, wanted to work hard for each other and I think those are the things that make the biggest difference in winning teams.”