January 2010

It's a new year and a new season is upon us.

The Super 14 is now an expanded fifteen team competition with three conferences giving the fans more games and more local derbys.

Last year was a year full of obstacles to overcome and it seems like a long time ago since I last played a game of rugby. In May I underwent back surgery for an injury that had hampered me for a fair while. At the time the injury was incredibly debilitating and the rehabilitation process has been a long and hard journey. Each day and each week, making "baby steps" my body has slowly but surely recovered. I lost close to twelve kilograms after the operation which is the lightest I have ever been since leaving school, but I am happy to say I have gained it all back through hard work in the gym. Which brings me to now.

I am incredibly excited about the year ahead. Firstly, being part of the new RaboDirect Rebels team based in Melbourne has provided me with a renewed focus for Super Rugby. We moved down to Melbourne in August and started training in the first week of September. As the name suggests, the Rebels will try to have a point of difference in the tournament this year. That already starts with a good mix of internationals in our team. We have five New Zealanders, players from Wales, South Africa and England. So already that is a unique thing to have so many international players from different backgrounds and cultures in one Super Rugby team. We have a quality coaching staff from diverse backgrounds, who are lead by none other than Rod Macqueen. The Rebels are extremely lucky to have such a high quality coaching staff leading them into our inaugural season.

To add to this, in September this year the Rugby World Cup is in New Zealand so this year will be an absolute cracker for rugby! All of that is a little bit too far down the track to be thinking about at this stage. The RaboDirect Rebels play our first trial this Saturday against Tonga. This is the first of four trials matches for us, and even though it's a little bit earlier than normal to be playing trials, it's very important for us given that we have never played together as a group.

This year is going to be a big one. I can't wait for it. Hope to see you down at AAMI park soon.

For those of you who would like to get a closer view of what I am up to in Melbourne you can follow me on Twitter @snorkymortlock.

Happy 2011!

Cheers Stirlo

Melissa Woods, AAP | November 25, 2010

Former Wallabies skipper Stirling Mortlock is excited about the competition that has surfaced for starting positions within the fledgling Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby side.

As the team continue preparations for their entry into the expanded 15-side tournament next February, the Test centre, who is on the comeback after back surgery, says competition is fierce at the new outfit.

He cited the intriguing battle for the halfback spot where another veteran Sam Cordingley is up against youngsters Richard Kingi, who is training the house down, and Nick Phipps, currently on tour with the Wallabies although yet to make his Test debut.

"The squad (coach Rod Macqueen) has assembled is extremely strong," Mortlock said at a Weary Dunlop rugby lunch in Melbourne.

Melissa Woods | October 06, 2010

Former Wallabies skipper Stirling Mortlock may have missed another Test squad selection this week but that hasn't dimmed his World Cup ambitions.

Mortlock underwent back surgery in May which ruled him out of national selection for this year but the 32-year-old, who will play for the Melbourne Rebels in next year's expanded Super rugby competition, remains focused on regaining his fitness and forcing his way back into the Test line-up.

"The injury's going really well and that's where I'm focused at the moment," he said on Tuesday.

"That's going really well and the next port of call for me will be to get training ... and down the track we'll see." Mortlock said he's back running and hoped to be able to start full training by the start of December.

Russell Gould, Herald Sun | May 28, 2010

STIRLING Mortlock has declared he could be at his dynamic best when he starts with the Melbourne Rebels next year, after surgery to repair a seven-year-old injury.

The former Wallabies captain had his Super 14 season ended early by a disc problem in his back, which he revealed had been dogging him for some time.

His injury-plagued final season with the Brumbies raised questions about the 32-year-old's durability for the new team, but he said he would be "ready to go" when the Rebels start playing next February.

Mortlock underwent the surgery this week.

Melissa Woods | April 04, 2010

Melbourne coach Rod Macqueen doesn't expect Stirling Mortlock to become the Pied Piper of the Rebels, but is hoping he may help lure Mark Gasnier to the new Super 15 franchise.

The former Wallaby skipper signed a three-year deal last week to join Melbourne for the team's inaugural season, bringing the number of new recruits to 10.

Queenslanders Richard Kingi and Adam Byrnes along with Welsh international No.8 Gareth Delve have also signed on in the past fortnight.

The Rebels have some promising young backs in their ranks, such as NSW's Peter Betham and Lachie Mitchell, who is currently in the UK along with another new signing, former England Test five-eighth Danny Cipriani.

However, the scalp of former league star Gasnier, who is currently playing with French side Stade Francais, would be a coup on and off the field.

Macqueen said Melbourne offered the chance for Gasnier to learn from one of the best in Mortlock, which would help his bid to play in next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Russell Gould, Herald Sun | April 03, 2010

PRIZED Rebels recruit Stirling Mortlock has signed on to play out his Super 15 career in Melbourne. Russell Gould asks the former Wallabies captain why he chose to head down south.

RUSSELL GOULD: What was the most significant factor in deciding to move to Melbourne?

STIRLING MORTLOCK: Coach Rod Macqueen was a significant factor. He recruited me to the Brumbies and was my first Wallabies coach. As a person and a coach he has been extremely innovative. He made it clear that this was going to be something special and that was driving him.

So that was exciting. Likewise, there was the opportunity to finish my career in Australia and tie in with post-career, possibly pursue coaching, and I have also a young family so it would have been a big call to uproot them and take them overseas.

This was also perfect timing with a World Cup campaign coming up next year and hopefully pushing towards that. It all added up.

Russell Gould | April 01, 2010

Melbourne Rebels coach Rod Macqueen says he expects three full years of service from prized recruit Stirling Mortlock.

After months of speculation, the former Wallabies captain confirmed he would play out his Super 15 career in Melbourne after signing a three-year deal.

Mortlock, 32, rejected a lucrative offer from French rugby to join the Rebels with a view to participating in the 2011 World Cup.

Macqueen said he would use Mortlock's on-field experience for as long as possible, but said his off-field value would be just as important.

"I would be happy to get two years on field and then he would have another role to play with us," Macqueen said.