Leeds Rhinos players to scoop £50,000 prize with win over Melbourne Storm

The Leeds players have been offered an extra incentive ahead of Sunday night's World Club Challenge against Melbourne Storm, as the club have promised them the winners' pot of £50,000. Greg Eastwood, the New Zealand international who joined the Rhinos last winter, reveals in the latest edition of the Australian magazine Rugby League Week that the Leeds chief executive, Gary Hetherington, made the offer in a pre-season meeting. "Gary had a chat to the boys and went through the bonuses, about what the club would give us," Eastwood said. "He said they would give all the prize money to the players. It's good money – but we've got to win first." The bonus would work out at almost £3,000 per man. Eastwood also conceded that the Rhinos' concentration on regaining the world club title after losing it to Manly last year may have contributed to a slow start to their Super League defence, in which they have lost two of their first four matches. "Brian McClennan [the Leeds coach], all he's been talking about since I got here is Melbourne and what we're going to do against them," added the second-row. "That's good in a way but on the other hand, maybe it's possible to focus too much on Melbourne and let our guard down." Leeds beat Melbourne 11-4 in the 2008 World Club Challenge, but have injury doubts over their Australian backs Brett Delaney and Scott Donald.