Super Rugby AU: Melbourne players don’t know when they’ll see families

While the families of AFL and NRL players have joined interstate hubs, the Melbourne Rebels are separated from their loved ones.

Rebels captain Dane Haylett-Petty is looking for answers Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Melbourne Rebels players remain in the dark about whether wives and partners can join their COVID-19-safe “bubble” as they stare down the barrel of a full season away from home.

The Rebels have been training in Canberra after escaping Melbourne last week and travelled to Sydney on Wednesday for Friday night’s clash with the Reds at Brookvale Oval in Manly.

But while families have joined AFL and NRL clubs who have also been uprooted from Victoria, the Rebels players don’t yet know if they will be afforded the same treatment.

The Victorian border has closed, and with metropolitan Melbourne back on stage three lockdowns, movement is limited.

Rebels forward Michael Wells is originally from Sydney and his wife escaped Victoria on Monday to join family in NSW.

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But despite being within touching distance this week and until next Wednesday with the Rebels to remain in Sydney, the pair won’t be able to reunite.

“Hopefully our paths will cross sooner rather than later,” Wells said.

“We’re not too sure if partners are allowed to come with us or our quarantine restrictions around seeing outside people, particularly if they have been in Melbourne in the last few weeks.

“I know a fair few partners tried to get out (of Victoria) before the restrictions came in. We are still waiting on real guidance whether partners can join us similar to the AFL and NRL.

“It’s not the ideal situation, but keeping some sort of perspective, it could be a lot worse.”

“I have told me wife that it’s best to plan time with her family. I’m not too sure we’d get her into camp even if it was allowed … they are still quite isolated.”

Melbourne Rebels forward Michael Wells is hopeful wives and partners can join the players in Sydney.

Despite the continued uncertainty, Wells said it wasn’t proving a distraction from on-field performance because that was the one certainty.

“The certainty of rugby is quite nice. You can kind of bank on that,” he said.

“As long as guys maintain their motivation on that, there’s a clear goal because you know you have a game every week.

“While there are a lot of moving parts off the field, if you can compartmentalise it and focus on the one certainty, it’s not really a distraction.”

The worst scenario for the Rebels is remaining on the road until September 19, the date of the Super Rugby AU final.

That appears unlikely, although Wells said players were preparing to be on the road for the “better part of the competition”.

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While the upheaval could have played a part in the Rebels’ first-up loss to the Brumbies last week, Wells said that settling into a new routine, as uncomfortable as it may be in some areas, could help produce better performances.

“There’s no time away from footy when you are on tour. You are always around the group, and that has it’s pros and cons,” he said.

“Some guys are really happy being around 30 of their best mates, other guys miss their partners, you get a bit of both.

“If anything, it brings the group a bit closer together, it forces us to be closer together. If we do it the right way, it could be something that galvanises the group to the a better performance.”