The Rebels have been axed. Here are five players that could land at the Brumbies

Rugby Australia pulled the trigger on its decision on Thursday, ending months of uncertainty about the franchise's future after it amassed $23 million in debt and went into voluntary administration.

The players and coaches are the collateral damage of the financial plight. Rugby Australia is expected to brief other Super Rugby clubs about the plan to accommodate Rebels players at a meeting on Friday.

It's likely Rugby Australia will increase the salary cap to allow for unexpected additions to squads given most teams have filled 2025 roster spots already. The arrangement would be temporary to cater for existing deals for Rebels players.

Players will have the ability to nominate their preferred location, but Rugby Australia will also have to play a role in ensuring talent is distributed evenly.

"We fund all commitments to players. There are players who have contracts through to 2025, which we're working through depth charts and looking at cohesion across other Super Rugby clubs and the salary cap to work out where the best landing club could be," said Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh.

"Equally, you've got players who are off contract who will go through the normal contracting negotiations about what 2025 and beyond looks like."

No one wants to dance on the Rebels' grave, especially in Canberra given the fight the ACT Brumbies had with Rugby Australia for their own survival less than a year ago.

"One of the important things is the human element in this," said Rugby Australia chairman Daniel Herbert.

"There are a lot of lives impacted. We've had Peter Horne and Justin Harrison from RUPA down [at Melbourne] working with the team around scenario planning just in case [this happened].

"Our head of HR is also there to provide support to the players and families. Having been through something similar myself a long time ago, there's a few tears and it's hard work. We don't underestimate the impact it's going to have on people's lives."

The harsh reality for the Rebels, their fans, and even their Australian rivals, is clubs must now contemplate who suits their organisation and how they can fit them in.

The Brumbies have all but filled their squad for next year. Corey Toole and Charlie Cale are on the verge of recommitting, while Noah Lolesio and Tom Hooper are still locked in negotiations.

Given the Brumbies at the top of the Australian standings and fighting for a top-two finish to the season this weekend, there aren't any obvious gaps in the squad.

But who could land in Canberra when the dust settles?

The towering 22-year-old is regarded as a rising star in the second row and was on the Brumbies' radar at the start of the year as a future prospect.

The departure of Darcy Swain will open a hole in the locks, but the Brumbies still do boast Nick Frost, Cadeyrn Neville and Tom Hooper in the top squad and a group of young guns coming through.

There are rumours the Brumbies have their eyes on another versatile forward in Melbourne, but it's unclear what will happen now the Rebels have been wound up.

Can you imagine a back-row combination of Rob Leota and Rob Valetini coming at you? Valetini, the reigning John Eales Medal winner, is a handful on his own.

Throw in Leota, a powerful player who can play at blindside flanker or No. 8, and rival teams would have a handful stopping the Brumbies from getting over the advantage line.

Leota has captained the Rebels this year and, after a slow start, they will play finals for the first time regardless of what happens in their last regular-season game this weekend.

Of course everyone will be talking about the next destination for the "Tongan Thor" - Taniela Tupou. The Wallabies wrecking ball has had a frustrating few years with injuries, but he is undoubtedly a draw card and a scrum beast.

But given the Brumbies already have Wallabies prop Allan Alaalatoa at tighthead, Tupou's landing will likely be Sydney or Perth.

All teams have been hit hard by prop injuries this year, most significantly at the Waratahs. Pone Fa'amausili was loaned to the Waratahs for a game against the Brumbies, and the fringe Wallaby would be a good pick up to add front-row depth in Canberra.

All eyes will be on Carter Gordon, the man Eddie Jones earmarked as Australia's next great playmaker before the World Cup last year. The Brumbies have Noah Lolesio, who has been the most unlucky player in Australia in recent years, so Gordon is unlikely to lob on the ACT's radar.

That's where Nick Jooste comes into the conversation. A former Brumbies development player, Jooste was nicknamed "Bernie Junior" during his time in Canberra. He has a massive boot and has added versatility to his game.

Lancaster is one of the rising stars in Australian rugby, scoring a try on debut and lighting up the wing. He would add more depth to the Brumbies' back-line arsenal, which already boasts Corey Toole, Tom Wright, Andy Muirhead and Ben O'Donnell.

The Melbourne Rebels have been cut from Super Rugby Pacific competition, with Rugby Australia telling players their last match will be played as early as next week.

Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh and chairman Daniel Herbert flew to Melbourne to deliver the devastating blow for the financially stricken club.

Staff and players were called to Rebels headquarters on Thursday as they were preparing to fly to Fiji for their final-round clash against the Drua on Saturday.

It's understood the club was told of Rugby Australia's decision last week before they were thumped by the ACT Brumbies in Canberra.

The crushing news comes as the Rebels sit seventh on the ladder and are preparing for their first finals campaign in 14 years in the competition.

Melbourne have been in voluntary administration since January with debts owed to creditors exceeding $23 million including an $11.5 million debt to the tax office.

RA cut staff and took over player and coaching payments for the season, with the Rebels handing over their competition licence.

A private consortium put forward a plan to fund the club until 2030, which was supported by the administrator but RA and the ATO voted against the deal at the creditors' meeting.

It was contingent on RA handing back the licence but the governing body opted to cut the club, saying it didn't demonstrate sufficient financial viability and presented an "unacceptable level of risk".

In a statement on Thursday RA said the consortium's projections for revenue growth and cost savings were "overly optimistic" and requiring additional funding from head office.

"Given the lack of detail made available to RA, the lack of transparency and the significant doubts over the consortium's proposed financial model, RA has determined that there is an unacceptable level of risk associated with entering into a Participation Agreement with this consortium for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season," RA said.

"RA does not take this decision lightly, however it must act in the best interests of the game and its stakeholders, and to provide certainty for the Rebels' players and staff, and all Super Rugby clubs in planning for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season."

Players are set to flood the open market, with Rugby Australia allowing stars to nominate their preferred destination at the other four Super Rugby franchises.

There is a strong feeling within Australian rugby circles that head office will nudge most of the talent towards the NSW Waratahs given the Sydney club is now controlled by Rugby Australia and finished as the lowest-ranked Australian side this year.

The majority of Western Force players moved to Melbourne when the Perth club was axed from the competition at the end of 2017.

Other teams have respectfully been waiting for Rugby Australia to make a decision about the Rebels before drawing up wishlist and targeting players.

"We have a plan that will ensure rugby has a strong future in Victoria - the infrastructure and the systems remain unchanged despite the change to the professional game in 2025, and we will continue to look for opportunities to increase that investment in the game in Victoria," Waugh said.

"I want to thank the rugby community for its patience and ongoing support of the code. Rugby Australia's focus right now is on supporting the impacted staff and players at the Rebels.

"As Australian rugby evolves, we will consider the game's professional footprint, and how it best serves the game and Super Rugby.

The Rebels went into voluntary administration earlier this year, but keen rugby officials have been working on a way to resurrect the franchise.

Ultimately, however, Rugby Australia had the final say on whether to cut the team or award a licence to a new operations team.

But Rugby Australia said the lack of detail and ongoing uncertainty gave it no choice but to end the saga.

"The consortium [for a new Rebels team] has claimed to have committed $18m in funding, though no documentary evidence has been provided to support this," Rugby Australia said.

"RA has been asked to rely on a verbal assurance, as well as confirmation that a portion of the committed funding will be contributed towards funding the Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA).

"No material has been provided outlining the new ownership structure, the new delivery model across two locations (AAMI Park and Tarneit) or how the historic financial challenges faced by Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union would be mitigated under the new model.

"The consortium has made it clear that it is seeking a contribution from RA of several million dollars to cover forecast operating losses - this is in addition to the standard funding that would be available under a Participation Agreement.

"The identity of the consortium members has not been disclosed to RA and, as a result the credentials of the consortium were unable to be fully assessed.

"However, it is clear that key advisers to the consortium include one or more former directors of Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union, meaning that an individual or individuals involved were responsible for the governance of MRRU during the period in which the Administrator considers the company may have traded while insolvent."

Several players have emerged from the Melbourne system, including Brumbies star Rob Valetini. Rugby Australia stressed the decision to axe the Rebels was an elite competitions call and that it would still invest in the community game.

The Rebels were due to play the British and Irish Lions next year, while there is a Wallabies Test schedule to played in Melbourne in the coming months.

"RA is currently working through the appropriate footprint for the 2025 Super Rugby Women's competition - a decision on the Rebels Super Rugby Women's team will be made as part of this broader process later this year," RA said.

"RA will continue to fund Rugby Victoria to oversee community Rugby and grow the game within the state, and will look at opportunities to increase funding."