Melbourne Rebels new coach Rod Macqueen says mercenaries aren't welcome at the Super 15 rugby union club he will build from the ground up.

Former Wallabies coach Macqueen has been lured out of a near-decade long retirement into a three-year deal to be head coach and director of coaching at the Rebels, who will join the competition in 2011.

But those expecting the Rebels to shower current Wallabies, overseas internationals and would-be rugby league converts with cash have been warned by the World Cup-winning coach - we won't be showing you the money unless you show us the right culture.

"We don't want players coming here for the money," Macqueen said in Melbourne on Wednesday after taking over at the Rebels.

"We don't want money to be the motivation, we want it to be a consequence of what they do.

"That comes into the sort of culture we want to build here - there's been a bit of speculation in the paper that has been thrown out recently by some of the (player) managers.

"We won't be going after players to be the highest bidders. We'll be going after players who want to come here, who want to be part of it, want to embrace the community, want to embrace Melbourne."

The Rebels have been linked to several big names, including Brisbane league star Israel Folau, Wallabies vice-captain Berrick Barnes and England captain Phil Vickery.

Macqueen's appointment is a huge coup for the new franchise, after turning down any number of offers to return to coaching following his retirement from the Wallabies' job in 2001.

As well as his impeccable coaching pedigree in building the Wallabies into the world's best during his five-year tenure, Macqueen also has valuable experience in starting up a Super rugby franchise.

He was the foundation coach of the ACT Brumbies, and since stepping away from rugby coaching has built up a raft of successful business interests.

Macqueen said doing some initial consultancy work with those involved in the Rebels' Super 15 bid re-ignited his passion to coach, saying it was a great opportunity.

"It made me think I'd like to have a bigger involvement, because there's something special that can happen in this area (Melbourne)," said Macqueen, who will base himself in Melbourne as soon as possible.

"To win you've got to have very high standards, you've got to put in a lot of hard work, you've got to have a good culture, you have to have an intelligent team.

"If we can pay attention to those things, chances are we'll do well."

His assistant will be current Sydney University coach Damien Hill.

Macqueen's appointment follows the Rebels' signing of Melbourne Storm NRL boss Brian Waldron as chief executive earlier this week.

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