Melbourne Rebels hooker Jordan Uelese will return to AAMI Park this Friday night for the Melbourne Rising, in the side’s curtain raiser match against the Japan A Wolfpack side.
In what will be Uelese’s first competitive match at AAMI Park since Round 15 2018, the curtain raiser will also be a special occasion for the front rower, as he will line up alongside his younger brother Junior who has also been named in the Rising team.
Looking ahead to match, Uelese says he and his family are excited about the siblings playing together for the first time.
“It will be pretty special for me and my family to play with my little brother, and it will be a great opportunity to get out there and give him his first taste of professional footy,” he said.
Uelese says the opportunity to play on AAMI Park against an international side will a be a good test for the Rising.
The front rower also says the match will be an unbelievable opportunity for Victorian Club players to play against world class competition.
“It will be great for those guys to get the exposure,” Uelese said.
“They get to step up and play on a big stage here at the stockade in front of a big crowd against what is a world class side.”
Uelese made a successful return to Club rugby for Gordon on the weekend following an ACL injury in June last year.
After playing approximately 60 minutes of football in the Shute Shield, the 22-year-old admitted his body is sore following his first competitive hit out, yet his repaired knee had recovered well.
And while Uelese says it was great to be back on the field playing after 10-11 months of rehabilitation and training, the hooker knows it will be competitive to work his way back into the Rebels’ match day 23.
“It was great to get out there again, obviously I’ve been in rehab for 10-11 months now, so it was good to get back out there on the field again and play the game we love,” he said.
“The competition we have here for the hooker spot is great, Anaru (Rangi) and Roachy (Hugh Roach) have been playing really well … so I’m not just going to walk back into the team.”
Melbourne Rising squad v Japanese Wolfpack
Kick off 5:05pm, Enter via Gate 4
1. Caylib Oosthuizen, Melbourne Rebels
2. Jordan Uelese, Melbourne Rebels
3. Junior Uelese, Melbourne Rebels Academy
4. BJ Edwards, Easts Rugby Club
5. Will Clift, Melbourne Uni
6. Ola Tauelangi, Melbourne Uni
7. Brandon Payne, Harlequins
8. Tony Lambourne, Melbourne Rebels
9. Harrison Goddard, Melbourne Rebels
10. Dan England, Easts Rugby Club
11. Luan Scherman, Melbourne Rebels Academy/Melbourne Uni
12. James Sooialo, Melbourne Rebels
13. Tasi Tautalatasi, Melbourne Rebels
14. Taylor Acheson, Harlequins
15. Justin Marsters, Harlequins
16. Vyron Smith, Melbourne Unicorns
17. Mees Erasmus, Melbourne Rebels
18. Angus Arundel, Harlequins
19. Giovanni Silberry, Melbourne Uni
20. Shawn Ingle, Melbourne Uni
21. Ant Van Zyl, Harlequins
22. Angus Edwards, Melbourne Rebels Academy/Melbourne Unicorns
23. Mosese Tuipulotu, Harlequins
24. Tom Blake, Harlequins
