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Message: [QUOTE="Pushkin, post: 2780756, member: 9011"] [CENTER][COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][RIGHT] [/RIGHT] [/FONT][/COLOR][/CENTER] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][B]MELBOURNE Storm is on the cusp of skipping the World Club Series in England in favour of staying home to prepare for its 2017 NRL premiership assault.[/B][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica]The [I]Herald Sun can reveal Storm officials will meet this week to finalise their position on whether or not to head to the UK in February alongside NRL premier Cronulla.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]Under the current arrangement, Storm would take part in the NRL Auckland Nines pre-season tournament before travelling to play in the revamped WCS.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]Storm would spend a fortnight in the UK to play just one game — against this year’s English Super League runner-up side — in the club’s final tune-up before the start of the new season in March.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [I][IMG]http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/336ea1d02cd50cae4a5ad1828a604f84?width=700[/IMG][COLOR=#FFFFFF]Storm players after theirloss in the NRL grand final. Picture: Colleen Petch.[/COLOR][RIGHT][COLOR=#B2BAC2]Source: News Corp Australia[/COLOR][/RIGHT] [/I][COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]Melbourne — which is not contractually obligated to take part in the WCS — already travels up to 13 times during the home-and-away season.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][CENTER] [/CENTER] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]“There is a group of us internally that’ll meet later this week to talk about our preparation for the 2017 NRL season,” Storm chief executive Dave Donaghy said.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]“However, we do have some serious concerns about travelling across to the other side of the world two weeks out from our season starting for what is effectively a trial match.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]“We’ve had two trials matches locked in (in Australia) for a long time and that may be a better option for us as we look to build into the season for next year.”[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]Participating NRL clubs in last year’s WCS received a $100,000 appearance fee plus a further $300,000 to cover travel and accommodation costs. It is understood that would barely cover Storm’s expenses for the two-week exercise.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]“It would need to be really commercially attractive for us to compromise our pre-season preparation to partake,” Donaghy said.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [I][IMG]http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/13a5f0f2aed03d5a2353cf347cc02802?width=700[/IMG][COLOR=#FFFFFF]Storm fans still came out despite the defeat. Picture: Colleen Petch.[/COLOR][RIGHT][COLOR=#B2BAC2]Source: News Corp Australia[/COLOR][/RIGHT] [/I][COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]Traditionally, it has been only the NRL premier that plays the winner of the UK Super League in the annual World Club Challenge. It was expanded last year to include the runner-up of both competitions and the minor premiers.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]Last year’s series was lopsided with Australian teams North Queensland, Brisbane and Sydney Roosters all winning easily.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]No NRL team has ever gone on to win the premiership after travelling to the UK in February for the WCC.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]Storm already has a string of players about to head to the UK for up to a month to take part in the Four Nations tournament.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#303030][FONT=Helvetica][I]Australian skipper Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk were named in the Kangaroos squad, while Jesse Bromwich will captain a New Zealand side containing fellow Storm forwards Tohu Harris and Kevin Proctor.[/I][/FONT][/COLOR] [/QUOTE]

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