Cactus' WCC diary

[lotti]

could always ask the Storm very nicely via email or in person to pass along our hero messages to the boys.

[Cronk7]

Whoo!Congrats DJ!  

[steaming stormer]

Lotti, what pranks is Mooks pulling??  He thought he lost his phone - hardly a prank

[Anonymous]

SS, thats the good ol "lose your phone prank" , its where you lose your phone...and then find it and say "HA HA i got you"....

similar to the lose your wallet prank, thats when you lose a wallet full of money and important details and then say "hahaha i lost my wallet, i fooled you!!!"

[Anonymous]

DAY 3 - THE BIRTH PLACE OF LEAGUE

After breakfast it was time to get on the bus and head to Shay Stadium, Halifax’s home ground, for our first training run since we got here.

It was a short trip, around 25 minutes, and gave us our first opportunity to get outside and take a look at the countryside. On the way we drove past Elland Road where the World Club Challenge will be played next Friday night. It looks a wonderful stadium and there have been more than 30,000 tickets sold already. There has been renovations going on at the ground and one of the new sections of the main stand will be opened especially for the night.

Shay Stadium is a bit like Olympic Park. It’s old and not as comfortable as modern grounds, but there’s something about it that gives it character and a life of its own. The main grandstand is in the middle of construction, in fact, it’s been in the middle of construction for eight years now! The league team shares the ground with the local soccer team, and since the soccer team has been relegated out of the football league, and Halifax aren’t in the Super League, there hasn’t been enough money to get it completed. However, with the help of the game against us, the stand will be finished by November.

We had a good training run and there were a few people there to watch. There was a group of children from a school just outside of York called Melbourne Primary School. They had travelled more than 80 kilometres to be there and it was great to see how much effort they’d put in. After training they came onto the ground and the players spent considerable time with them, taking photo and signing autographs.

There was also a woman and her two children dressed from head to toe in Storm gear and waving Storm flags. It turned out they’d been living in Melbourne for the past five years and had just returned home. Unfortunately they were at the 2006 grand final loss to the Broncos, but moved back to England just months before we won the 2007 grand final against Manly. The boys paid special attention to them and thanked them for their support.

After training we made our way to an Italian Restaurant for a great feed. After a quick bite to eat it was back on the bus for the short trip to The George Hotel in Huddersfield, a pub made famous as this is where the game of rugby league was born. In the basement of the hotel is a wonderful museum with heaps of old memorabilia and videos of old, archived vision of some of the classic encounters of years gone by. It was a great experience being there, especially in this the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, and the players and coaching staff gained a new appreciation of their sport. Upon arrival at The George, our guide for the day gave us a speech which turned into more a motivational speech than an informative speech. It went on and on and what started as an informative discussion on the origins of rugby league turned into a pre-game rev-up designed to get the boys ready for battle. I could be mistaken but I thought I saw Craig Bellamy taking notes! I’m not sure what his motives were, but perhaps he was trying to get the boys to peak too early. Along with the luggage fiasco, delays at Heathrow and not being allowed to train on Elland Road before the game, perhaps this was another ploy to put us off before the World Club Challenge next Friday night?

After we left The George we were running a little behind schedule and the traffic on the roads was quite congested. We were meant to be at a signing session at White Rose Shopping Centre at 4pm, but unfortunately we didn’t make it until about an hour later. Brett White, Anthony Quinn, Dane Nielsen and Steve Turner arrived at the shopping centre to a rousing round of applause from the large crowd that had assembled to greet them. The boys signed everyone’s shirts, posters and whatever else they had to be signed, even if most of it was Leeds Rhinos merchandise! One particular fan got a couple of pieces signed, went behind the table to get a couple of photos taken, and then proceeded to get out a tape recorder and started interviewing White and Turner. It turns out he was a sports journalist student and thought he’d take the opportunity work on his interviewing technique. Quite funny really so we let him go and when he was done he told us it was a dream come true to interview the Storm players. Glad we could help!

Back at the hotel and we tucked into some dinner before St Helens coach, and former New Zealand and Auckland Warriors coach, Daniel Anderson spoke to the group about what to expect from the game against Leeds. Everything from the ground dimensions, weather conditions and subtle changes in the interpretation of the rules were discussed and it should prove to be a great benefit to the team.

A quick luggage update. Most of the bags have now been returned, and everyone has been reunited with at least one of their pieces of luggage. However there’s still five players and a couple of staff members who haven’t got all of their luggage, with some missing luggage containing boots and training gear. Let’s hope the remaining bags return before the game against Halifax tomorrow night.

to Check out the photos: http://www.melbournestorm.com.au/defaul ... =25&ssec=1

[storm_rhinos]

I used to live a stones throw from the white rose center, good to see the locals gave them a good reception, if it was a team from Lancashire their instead they would have been greeted with bottles and coins lol.

[AAS]

I used to live a stones throw from the white rose center, good to see the locals gave them a good reception, if it was a team from Lancashire their instead they would have been greeted with bottles and coins lol.

Well to be honest

The only thing good about Yorks is the road to scotland and the road to london and the Road to Lancs



Sorry my Lancs pride is coming out of me.

[CHITTYCHARGO]

Go get a bath AAS and wash your mouth out with BLEACH

[AAS]

Go get a bath AAS and wash your mouth out with BLEACH

I thought of one thing to comes out of Yorks



EMMERDALE, well just only Emmerdale

[lotti]

the boys should feel right at home at the game if Shay's like OP.

[storm_rhinos]

Hey AAS stick to munching on your lard and black pudding will ya and stop bagging what we all know is gods country 

[Cronk7]

DAY 4 - THE YOBBO’S DO IT AGAIN


As is always the case on the morning of a game, the traditional game of cricket between the Ted’s (those who like to wear nice clothes, put product in their and rub moisturiser in their face) and the Yobbo’s (those who don’t) took place, this time at Leeds Metropolitan University. Our team liaison Fletch had organised a large indoor area for us to use and we took to the game with our usual gusto and competiveness.


The Yobbo’s batted first and after a poor start made a respectable score of 70. That should have been a chaseable target, but after a couple of dubious decisions from the square leg umpire, the Ted’s fell eight runs short. The Yobbo’s celebrated as though they’d won the World Cup, and given the bragging rights at stake, it was totally justifiable.


The Ted’s however could feel understandably aggrieved. With the departure of former Football Manager Dean Lance, the Ted’s thought the tight run out decisions might swing their way for a change, but new square leg umpire Mary Toomey, our esteemed Manager of the High Performance Unit, is firmly from the Lance school of umpiring! Another long year beckons for the Ted’s by the looks of things.


Special mention must go to Head Trainer Troy Thomson who took what can only be described as “The Catch of the Century”. Fielding at silly mid-off, a lusty blow from the blade such as this would normally have put a hole through the close-in fieldsman. However, Thomson managed to get a hand in the way, the tennis ball incredibly sticking. Young front-rower Aiden Tolman also took a couple of one-handed screamers to finish off the Teds’ innings.


Upon our return it was time for lunch, before the boys made their way to their rooms for an afternoon of relaxation and sleep.


A quick pool session, team meeting and bite to eat later in the afternoon, and the boys were on the bus bound for Halifax for the trial game at Shay Stadium. It was a great crowd (over 4000) and they made enough noise for three times that many. It was a typical English crowd, and considering the occasion, they were in full voice.


While the players were getting ready, the Storm officials were invited into the corporate marquee for a nice meal and a pint or two. Football Operations Manager Frank Ponissi was asked up on stage for a bit of a speech, and to say it was a bit of a love-in would be an understatement. The compliments were flowing between the two clubs, and to be fair, it was totally appropriate. Halifax is a club steeped in tradition, with former Storm coach Chris Anderson leading them to success in the Challenge Cup Final as a player-coach in the 80’s.


Once the game was over, and the players had completed their recovery session, they were treated like heroes back at the club by the congregated masses.


The night was definitely a success, and a good night was had by all.

[Super Cronk]

DAY 5 - FOOTBALL OF A DIFFERENT KIND

Given the team played last night and didn’t get home until the early hours of the morning after their commitments were completed at Halifax R.L.F.C, the morning was very relaxing. They went to their recovery session in the pool early on and had massages after that.

After lunch the group boarded the team bus bound for Liverpool. We were on our way to Anfield to watch the Premier League clash between Liverpool and Middlesbrough.

Once we were at the ground, some players made their way to their seats, while others made their way to the famous Bill Shankly gates on Anfield Road. The wrought iron gates have the legendary catchphrase “You’ll Never Walk Alone” displayed above them, the famous song sung by the Liverpool fans at every home game. There is also a statue of Bill Shankly, probably Liverpool’s most famous manager, and a memorial to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster, which always has flowers adorning it. It’s a moving tribute to those who died that fateful day and there were many people there to pay their respects.

A lot of the boys had never seen a football game before, and if the truth be known, those boys probably would have died happy men had they never seen one in their lives. But once they had experienced the electric atmosphere of a Premier league game, although they may not have liked the game itself, they certainly loved the crowd and the way they supported their respective teams. When the whole crowd started to sing You’ll Never Walk Alone at the beginning of the match, the hairs on the back of the neck really stood up.

Liverpool won the game 3-2 with star striker Fernando Torres scoring a hat-trick for the home team. Although Harry Kewell didn’t play, there was one Australian representative on the pitch, Middlesbrough keeper Mark Schwarzer.

From Anfield we went into the middle of Liverpool to the Cafe Sport England Restaurant, owned by Liverpool and former England defender Jamie Carragher. This place was truly amazing, as was the city itself. I have been in plenty of television stores that had less TV’s in them than this place. There must have been 200 plasma TV’s on the walls, with football and rugby union playing on every one of them! We had pre-ordered our meals on the bus beforehand, and those who ordered the chicken pizza as an entree were in for a pleasant surprise. When the entrees were brought out, the chicken pizzas were massive, enough for two or three, let alone just one. The food was magnificent and everyone left feeling very content.

The bus trip back was a long one, and almost everyone took the opportunity to get some sleep. Given how much has been crammed into the past few days it was hardly a surprise.

Back at the hotel, everyone made their way to their rooms for some much needed rest. Tomorrow morning is the first training session in the lead-up to the World Club Challenge Clash against Leeds Rhinos at Elland Road on Friday night (England time), and given the rusty performance against Halifax last night, everyone is keen to get out there and et themselves well prepared for what will be a tough encounter.

[nacho]

DAY 6 - MELBOURNE’S GOT NOTHING ON LEEDS WEATHER


Looking out of the hotel room window this morning you would have sworn it was going to be a beautiful mild winter’s day. The sky was blue and clear and it looked as though training conditions were going to be perfect.


After breakfast we all boarded the team bus and headed for Leeds Metropolitan University for a good conditioning and skills session. In the 20 minutes it took to get from our hotel in Leeds to the University in Headingly the weather had changed to such an extent that if you hadn’t brought your snow gear with you, you were going to be cold...very cold. I hadn’t!


It was now quite dark, the grey clouds were covering the sky and it was about to start pouring with rain. And the wind was bitter to the point it felt like God was slicing me with paper cuts whenever I moved. It was at moments like these the beanies and gloves we were given in Melbourne for the trip would have come in handy. Given the blue skies of 30 minutes ago I didn’t bring mine. Bad mistake!


Apart from the weather, the training session went really well. The boys put in a good performance on the track and the build-up to Friday night’s game against Leeds had started well.


Once back on the bus everyone was given the choice as to whether they wanted to go to Hull to watch Hull KR (featuring Clint Newton, Garret Crossman and Jake Webster) versus Warrington (Matt King’s new team). Before the training session most of the players and staff were going, by the end of the session the number had been reduced to 10, and that included Scott Hill who had come up to Leeds from London to see everyone.


The rest of the players used the afternoon off to wander around Leeds, do some shopping, take in the sights; or stay in the hotel and try to get warm again.


The trip to Hull takes about 90 minutes from Leeds, and the time was spent playing cards or sleeping. Once we were at the ground, we all caught up with Kingy (as he wasn’t playing due to a calf tear) and watched the game from the stands. Again, it was cold! Hull KR’s ground is a lot like Olympic Park with two main grandstands down the sides of the ground, and open ends behind the goalposts. We sat with the Warrington fans behind one of the goals. The atmosphere created by the fans was amazing. They never stop singing and support their team for the full 80 minutes. Although there were only just over 8,000 there, it felt like there were three times that many with the noise they were making. For the record, Warrington won 29-28, even though at one stage early in the second half they were leading 28-4.


At half-time Ryan Hoffman and Dallas Johnson were introduced to the crowd on the ground and were giving a rousing reception. Perhaps it was out of respect, or perhaps it was their way of saying “if you ever come and play in England, we’d love for you to play for us”. And given Hull KR’s performance in the first-half, they’d be a couple of handy additions.


After the game Stephen Kearney was the guest speaker in the corporate area. Because Kearney played for Hull KR’s great cross-town rival Hull, it was interesting to see their reaction. But given Kearney’s standing in the game, he’s very much a respected figure and he was treated with the dignity he deserves.


It was then back on the bus for the 90-minute trip home. The team had a recovery session in the pool before dinner was served.


Kingy came to the hotel to catch up with the boys, and they spent much of the night catching up on old times. No doubt stories of last year’s grand final win were recounted time and time again; while many non-football stories were no doubt also told.


Some of the other boys went for a bit of a wander around Leeds, while the rest got an early night as they have a big day of training tomorrow.

[KimmorleyKiller]

Haha awesome work, solid read. I agree with the hero fax idea, we need a line to vent our looorve.