Showcase our stars.. and stripes

IN the end it was the result everybody expected – but sometimes you have to stand back and applaud a club like Melbourne Storm.

It was a valiant effort by Leeds, who were without four front-rowers and travelled 12,000 miles to play a top team.

But you have to tip your hat and say what an exceptional organisation Melbourne have become.

They are head and shoulders above any other rugby league club in the world at the moment, and the benchmark for the game.

They won last year’s Grand Final by almost 30 points, and that wasn’t a fluke – they’re ruthlessly effective under their coach Craig Bellamy. I think Leeds will learn from the whole experience, and once they get over the journey home this will help them as the season unfolds.

The way to get better in sport is by playing a better opponent, and Melbourne are better than most teams in most areas.

It was great to have the match staged in Australia but I’m a big believer now that if we’re serious about making the 2025 World Cup in America a success, then let’s take future World Club Challenges there.

We can have a seven or eight-year run at this and build some momentum.

The guy backing the World Cup there, Jason Moore, is clearly focused on making the tournament a success, so let’s take the World Club Challenge to the key cities around the country and give America a taste of top-level rugby league.