Taniela Tupou and Carter Gordon top of the shortlists as clubs line up to snatch Melbourne Rebels stars

The Wallabies could lose a handful of top talents ahead of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season following the collapse of the Melbourne Rebels.

Earlier this week, Rugby Australia announced that they had taken the decision to axe the Rebels from the Super Rugby Pacific competition ahead of next season.

This came after the club entered voluntary administration in January with debts to creditors exceeding AUS23m.

With the news of the Rebels‘ demise, several clubs are lining up to snap up the top stars in the squad, with one positive being that Rugby Australia is set to honour the contracts of players who have signed for 2025 and beyond.

Where to next for Melbourne Rebels stars?

Wallabies superstar Taniela Tupou has fielded interest from Leinster and Montpellier recently, but according to a report by Roar Sports, the prop will remain on Australian shores next year.

Tupou joined the Rebels from the Reds this season, but the report states that he won’t be rejoining his former team but rather head to 2024 Super Rugby Pacific strugglers, the Waratahs, who will have a new head coach in place next year.

The powerhouse prop could be joined by fellow Rebels front-rowers Isaac Kailea and Matt Gibbon, who the report states are attracting interest from the other Australian sides, with only the Reds not looking into the latter. Hooker Jordan Uelese could attract interest from the Waratahs too.

After returning from Northampton Saints to link up with the Rebels, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto now looks set to snub the Waratahs for a reunion with his former side the Reds with the Queenslanders reportedly leading the way to sign Filipo Daugunu too.

Wallabies legend highlights how Rebels downfall can ‘strengthen’ other Australian sides

Carter Gordon

While many of the players like Andrew Kellaway, Darby Lancaster, Josh Canham and Tuaina Taii Tualima are expected to remain in the Rugby Australia systems, rising star Carter Gordon may not.

According to the report, Gordon is still weighing up a rugby league code switch, having met with Gold Coast Titans representatives earlier this year.

His $700,000 a year demands reportedly soured the talks and the collapse of the Rebels will certainly influence his negotiation power but he is off-contract this year and the Melbourne Storm also expressed interest in signing him.

The 23-year-old is being lined up with the Waratahs if he remains in union but is believed to be leaning towards a code switch instead – a move that would undoubtedly be a blow for Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt.

READ MORE: Rugby Australia accused of ‘shrinking the sport’ as Rebels consortium set to sue governing body