RL Comment: World Club Challenge Title returns to Australia and others..

A tight game played in incessant rain before 27,000 people resulted in Melbourne Storm being crowned World Club Champions but in my opinion this still feels like a hollow competition despite it now being over 20 years since that first game at a packed Central Park, Wigan.

I've got to be honest, it doesn't set my pulse racing and I felt that the Championship opener between Leigh and Barrow or the Super League encounter involving Castleford and Hull Kingston Rovers were better games. Of course my club Leigh hasn't been involved in one of these contests so perhaps I have a jaundiced view and there have been some spectacular moments in these games, like Widnes defeating Canberra Raiders Green Machine in 1989 or Wigan beating Brisbane Broncos in the ANZ Stadium back in 1994.

While recent Australian champions have approached the game in a more serious manner, you still get the feeling that overal it is just another trial game with a trophy at the end and not the "clash of worlds" RL publicity would have us believe. Don't get me wrong, I do like the concept, but the fact it takes place four rounds into the Super League season devalues the top league over here. If it is to stay it should be the opening event of the season, much like the old Charity Shield used to be.

As an aside do you think a Champions Challenge could work beneath Super League? Last season Barrow won the Grand Final with Widnes claiming the Northern Rail Cup. That would have made one heck of an opening game, maybe even play it on a home and away aggregate basis like cup ties of old or like they do in the French Cup. What do you reckon?

Looking back at last night, the turning point for me was not the moment Keith Senior back-chatted to referee Richard Silverwood or even Anthony Quinn's late score followed by Cameron Smith's excellent touchline goal. No, it was the sight of Leeds skipper Kevin Sinfield being helped from the pitch after around half an hour and the knowledge that Leeds could have been playing until now and still not got through a blanket defence. Rhinos fans may point to Kallum Watkins two missed tries as evidence to the contrary but somehow I always thought that Melbourne were holding something back, absorbing like a sponge before striking and ultimately proving their mettle.