Melbourne Storm will have a contested training session with Championship club Halifax as part of their preparations for their World Club Challenge meeting with Leeds next month.

The NRL premiers are flying out of Melbourne on February 11 and will spend five days in London before setting up camp in the north of England.

Three years ago the Storm warmed up for their clash with the Rhinos with a match against London Broncos but this time will satisfy themselves with a stiff work-out against Halifax three days before they take on the Super League champions on Friday, February 22.

It will be the third time the two teams have met in the World Club Challenge, with honours even after a Leeds victory in 2008 and a defeat in 2010, both at Elland Road.

The Rhinos made the most of their opportunity to play at Headingley in last year’s WCC, grinding out a 26-12 win over Manly Sea Eagles, to take the number of victories by Super League clubs to eight from 13 since the concept was revived in 2000.

In each of those contests, the visitors have been forced to overcome jet lag and a dramatic change of weather conditions as they switch from the middle of an Australia summer, but Melbourne football manager Frank Ponissi insists they will be prepared.

“We will be going 100 per cent against Leeds,” Ponissi said. “We know we’re not quite going to be at our best by then but we have to be as close to it as we possibly can.

“We have 10 days to get ready, adjust to the time zone and the temperature and get some quality intensive training in those conditions.”

Amid speculation that coach Craig Bellamy is poised to make a switch to St George Illawarra, he has promised Melbourne he will make a decision on his future before they set off for England.