Wallaby Faulkner returns home for Rebels
The 29-year-old returns to Melbourne after seven years and 70 Super Rugby appearances with the Western Force, including all 15 games of the 2017 season.
"Tetera is a quality player and person who will bring experience, consistency and strong values to the Rebels," Melbourne Rebels CEO Baden Stephenson said.
"It is great to bring a Melbourne player home to represent the Rebels in front of so many family, friends and teammates that he grew up with."
Born in New Zealand, Faulkner's rugby career took flight when he moved to Melbourne with his family when he was 13 years old.
Faulkner represented the Australian Schoolboys in 2006, Australian Under-19s in 2007 and Australian U20s in 2008 prior to joining the Force as injury cover in 2011.
Faulkner, who returned to spend 12 months in Melbourne as a labourer in 2009, made his Super Rugby debut against the Rebels in 2011 and scored his first Super Rugby try against the Rebels in 2015.
In 2017, the experienced prop has worked his way back into the Wallabies after being included in head coach Michael Cheika's squad for this month's Bledisloe Cup following some dominant performances in 2017.
Faulkner earned two international caps off the bench against Wales and Ireland during the Wallabies' 2014 Spring Tour.
"I'm looking forward to the opportunity to continue my rugby career back in Melbourne, a city that I hold dear to me," Faulkner said.
"After getting my first big break with the Schoolboys in Melbourne, it feels like I've come a full circle so I'm excited to return home and contribute to the exciting future of the Melbourne Rebels and Victorian rugby."
The tighthead prop will join the Rebels following the National Rugby Championship (NRC) in November for the start of pre-season.
