© Melbourne Storm

Some of the players had their photo taken with 'United' behind them

The morning was free again before everyone met up for a team lunch at a local restaurant, BB’s. We actually went to BB’s on our last visit to Leeds for the World Club Challenge when they served up hamburgers and fried food! Not the best meal to have a day out from the World Club Challenge, but on this occasion they served up some great food. Nice fresh fish was the order of the day and it was far nicer experience this time.

After lunch the team had a meeting before we all boarded the bus bound for Elland Road. It would be the first, and only opportunity for the players to familiarise themselves with the ground before the big game. The idea was for the players to walk around on the ground for 10-15 minutes while the likes of Cam Smith and Brett Finch could take a football out and have a bit of a kick around.

When we got there it was a slightly different scenario. A security guard had been placed at the end of the path that leads out to the ground with strict instructions that only two players at a time could go on the ground. Thanks very much! Now I know it’s been raining and the ground is pretty soft, but this is the World Club Challenge and it was the only opportunity for the players to have a look at the ground. But to the players’ credit they stuck to the rules reasonably well.

After we left Elland Road it was off to South Leeds Stadium for our final training session before the game, and it was probably the best session of the tour. The players looked sharp, they executed their players with precision like quality, and it seemed as though the players lifted a cog knowing the big game was just around the corner.

After training it was back to the hotel for dinner and a quiet night in.