8:16pm, 30 May 2019

The Melbourne Rebels may reportedly be unable to afford to host a Super Rugby home final if they top the Australian conference.

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The currently sit a single point behind the Brumbies in fifth place with five games of the regular season left to play.

If they finish atop the table and earn a home final, the Australian reports, the Rebels will have to pay the visiting side about $75,000.

But chief executive Baden Stephenson denies the club are on the brink of insolvency, despite the recent departure of their chief financial officer.

“There is no doubt that things are becoming increasingly fairly tight, but I’m extremely lucky that I have an extremely supportive and proactive board,” he told The Australian.

“We had our monthly meeting yesterday (Wednesday) and we have some plans in place and we are working away. We are confident of what we have in the short term. The longer-term, post-2021, no one can crystal ball that.”

Melbourne play the Waratahs, whose finals hopes are hanging by a thread, on Friday night with NSW star Kurtley Beale challenging Rebels skipper Dane Haylett-Petty, both expected to audition for the Wallabies’ fullback jersey recently vacated by Israel Folau.

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– AAP