After breakfast we all boarded bus bound for Leeds Met Carnegie Uni for the traditional match day game of cricket between the Ted’s and the Yobbo’s. Due to the wet weather England has been experienced since, well, forever, we played a game of indoor cricket.

© Melbourne Storm

The players get ready before the game in the smallest changerooms ever

The teams were divided up and because of the new players in the squad this year a team had to be allocated for them as well. There was a bit of contention in this area as a few new players thought they were Yobbo’s when the truth is they were clearly Ted’s. But they chose to be Yobbo’s and now that they’ve chosen they’ll have to live with their decision.

So the Yobbo’s won the toss and sent the Ted’s in to bat.

The Ted’s batted pretty well and at the end of their innings had posted a score of 59. Pretty good considering every scoring run was a single. Absolutely no two’s or anything bigger than that was scored.

The Yobbo’s however were pretty confident and were going along reasonable well when young prop Jesse Bromwich came in to bat. This man would have to be the luckiest cricketer on earth. He got given not out twice on two of the clearest dismissals ever seen. But he eventually was given out and it came down to the Yobbo’s needing around 10 runs with five wickets in hand. An easy assignment you would have thought. But a final over where five wickets fell for one run saw the Ted’s get up and the celebrations had begun. Cam Smith was the last batsmen out, given out caught when he edged the ball onto his foot and it rebounded into the grateful hands of Kevin Proctor. A controversial decision, one which he discussed in robust fashion with the umpire, Craig Bellamy. Needless to say Bellamy won that little discussion.

After the game we boarded the bus bound for the hotel and some lunch. After lunch the players do whatever it is they do when preparing for a game. That could be a walk around town, a rest in their rooms, a massage, or even a swim.

At 3.30pm the team gathered for their pre-game meal and then it was into the team room for the final meeting before the big game. An hour later it was time to get on the bus and head to Elland Road to take on Leed Rhinos for the World Club Challenge.

The boys looked great, very relaxed but focussed on what was to come. We got a police escort to the ground which was great but I’m not sure it was necessary. But they held up the traffic and we went through all of the red lights. We managed to get to the ground in about five minutes when normally it would take around 15 minutes.

At the crowd there was a bit of a crowd waiting near the entrance to the changerooms hoping to get an autograph or two and maybe a photo. The players made their way off the bus, passing the crowd (signing an autograph or two first) and then into arguably the smallest changerooms in the history of professional sport. Now I know Elland Road is a soccer ground and those guys aren’t too big, but we’re talking about rugby league players here. They need some room to move. But there was barely enough room for them all to sit in the same area, it was crazy. Anyway, the boys did the best they could and got ready for the game, and what a game it was!

To read the full match report, click HERE.

After the game the boys deservedly celebrated for a while in the changerooms and then it was into one of the hospitality areas for a bite to eat. After that it was back on the bus bound for the hotel and a few drinks in the bar with supporters, family and Melbourne Storm staff.

I’ll leave the rest of the night to the imagination, but needless to say the players celebrated becoming the World Club Champions, and rightly so.

To read the full Tour Diary, click HERE.