2013 World Club Challenge : LEEDS vs MELBOURNE

[DIEHARD]

LEEDS vs MELBOURNE

[DIEHARD]

Rhinos home to Storm in league challenge

Leeds will defend their World Club Challenge rugby league title against Melbourne on home soil at Headingley.

The famous ground will stage the annual clash of the champions - for the second time - on Friday, February 22, the Super League announced on Friday.

The Super League winners will aim to become the first team to win the title four times, while NRL champions Melbourne will hope to become the first Australian club to win it three times.

Melbourne won on the back of their 1999 NRL premiership win, and then following their 2009 title win over Parramatta which was later stripped for salary cap breaches.

The Rhinos are guaranteed to break one record as they overtake Wigan's mark of five WCC appearances.

After staging their first four matches at Elland Road, including two against Melbourne, Leeds drew a capacity crowd of 21,062 at Headingley for their 26-12 win over Manly last February.

The 2013 clash will be played on the club's new pitch which is expected to cost around STG1 million ($A1.55 million) when it is completed next month and will include undersoil heating to guarantee there will be no postponement.

Leeds' chief executive Gary Hetherington said: "Having spoken to fans, young and old, the Manly game ranks as one of the greatest nights ever in the club's history and I am sure fans will be keen to snap up tickets for this clash against the Storm.

"We had a sell-out crowd last season and the interest in this game is extremely high already.

"The chance to see players like Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith play at Headingley is also an obvious attraction and I am sure the World Club Challenge (WCC) will be the perfect way to kick off a massive year for the sport with the World Cup coming to England later in the year.

"We have invested heavily in our new pitch during the close (off) season, which will not only guarantee the fixture with our new undersoil heating system but also present a perfect stage on which the two best teams in the world can go head to head."

British clubs have won 12 of the 18 WCC matches since 1987 and have hosted each of the past 13.

A working party is looking into the feasibility of having neutral or Australian venues and expanding the competition.

The Storm will leave Australia on Tuesday, February 12, and will spend time training and preparing for the match in London before travelling north.

Melbourne general manager (football) Frank Ponissi said: "We value this game highly and will be looking to give ourselves the best chance to claim another World Club Challenge title."

In 2010, the Storm played the London Broncos in a friendly to warm up for their clash with the Rhinos.

http://www.nrl.com/

[DIEHARD]

I wish we could bring this to Australia in 2014. With the stonger Aussie dollar, it surely has to be competitive profit wise. And alternating would add interest and credibility to this concept.

[DIEHARD]

Storm World Club Challenge Squad Announced

Melbourne Storm has today announced the squad departing to England on Monday to take on Leeds Rhinos in the World Club Challenge.

Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk will all travel as part of the squad to represent the club in the world title decider, with Slater making his third and Ryan Hoffman his fourth appearance on the International stage.

Returning playmaker Brett Finch will take his place in the 21-man travelling party after impressing the coaching staff in Storm’s two recent trial matches.

England International Gareth Widdop will play in front of his family and friends on home soil, joining 10 of his 2012 premiership teammates including Will Chambers, Bryan Norrie, Ryan Hinchcliffe, Sisa Waqa and Jesse Bromwich on the trip.

New Storm recruits Lagi Setu, Junior Sa’u and Junior Moors have been rewarded after impressive first pre-seasons with the club and will also be part of the squad. Seasoned performer Jason Ryles, in his fourteenth season, will play in his first World Club Challenge match.

Storm and the Rhinos have met twice in the World Club Challenge, in 2008 and 2010 for one win apiece.

Leeds are the current world title holders after defeating Manly in last year’s match, while Storm returns to the UK for the first time since 2010.

The clash is set to be a record breaking game with Storm looking to become the first NRL club to win three global challenge matches, while Leeds will be aiming to become the first team ever to win four world titles.

The team will fly out on Monday afternoon and will spend five days in London training and acclimatising to the winter conditions before travelling to Leeds on 17 February to complete final preparations before the Friday 22 February match. Following the match the team will then spend three days back in London recovering and preparing for the return flight home.

Players who are not travelling to the UK will continue preparing for the season by training at the club’s AAMI Park headquarters and playing in trial matches with Storm’s feeder clubs.

Melbourne Storm’s World Club Challenge squad:

Kenny Bromwich
Jesse Bromwich
Will Chambers
Cooper Cronk
Brett Finch
Mahe Fonua
Ben Hampton
Tohu Harris
Ryan Hinchcliffe
Ryan Hoffman
Junior Moors
Bryan Norrie
Justin O’Neill
Jason Ryles
Junior Sa’u
Lagi Setu
Billy Slater
Cameron Smith
Siosaia Vave
Sisa Waqa
Gareth Widdop

Injury update
Kevin Proctor: Grade 3 medial ligament left knee (6-8 weeks)
Matt Duffie: Right hamstring strain (3-4 weeks)
Maurice Blair: Fractured sinus (4 weeks)

http://www.melbournestorm.com.au

[Smakked]

I hope Melbourne flog them

[DIEHARD]

Me too mate, but Leeds are definitely going to be a threat. And they are also into their season already.

[TITAN PETE]

This will be the only game of Footy u here me cheering for the Storm

Aussie Aussie Aussie

[shamus]

This will be the only game of Footy u here me cheering for the Storm

Aussie Aussie Aussie

Nah......maybe against the Broncos as well..

[TITAN PETE]

Nah......maybe against the Broncos as well..

Mate its way too early to start drinking

[DIEHARD]

Rhinos' rising star looms on NRL radar

HE'S rated the hottest property in England after Sam Tomkins - but Leeds centre Kallum Watkins says he doesn't know what would happen if he received an offer from an NRL club.

Despite being under contract until 2017, the 21-year-old is on the radar of Australian talent scouts and will get more exposure when he lines up for the Rhinos against Melbourne in the World Club Challenge next week.

Asked if he was in a position to listen to NRL offers, Watkins told Fairfax Media: "It's hard to say because rugby league is massive down there and it's a big challenge for most people to play in that competition.

"You never know. It could be a great opportunity but I guess it depends on how I go in terms of playing here.

"But Leeds is a great club and they look after you so why would you want to move? Anyway, I've heard nothing yet."

Watkins, who scored four tries in his first three appearances for England, said he was unsure how Leeds would react if he was approached.

He added that Australian criticism of Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield winning the Golden Boot as the world's best player would motivate the Rhinos at Headingley on Friday next week.

"It's a big game and you grab any piece of motivation you can," he said. "He's a great leader, a great player, had a great season and thoroughly deserved the award. He hasn't got the recognition he deserves over the years with individual awards so it's about time.''

"All credit to him."

The Storm have broken down one of the last bastions of the rugby union establishment by training at the ultra-exclusive Eton College.

Players were given a tour of the alma mater of prime ministers and princes after their session there on Wednesday, before visiting Windsor Castle.

"It was unbelievable to be afforded the opportunity to train and see one of the world's most prestigious schools," said football manager Frank Ponissi

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...#ixzz2KwIso5Il

[TITAN PETE]

The match is on Gem Channel 90 live.

[TITAN PETE]

A couple of ex-Titans playing in this match

Joe Vickery who never had much of a chance to play NRL, bad defender

Brett (I don't pass the Ball) Delaney who's been thrown into the back row for the match, may suit his passing game

Footy's back

[TITAN PETE]

A couple of ex-Titans playing in this match

Joe Vickery who never had much of a chance to play NRL, bad defender

Brett (I don't pass the Ball) Delaney who's been thrown into the back row for the match, may suit his passing game

Footy's back

There's another ex-Titan in Sosai Vave who's looking fitter than ever

[TITAN PETE]

Cronk & Slater killing them @ 8-0 after 22min

[TITAN PETE]

Halftime 8-8 , good game being ruined by the Commentating as usual