Leeds Rhinos v Melbourne Storm: McGuire in Storm warning as Rhinos regroup

The Australian premiers boast the likes of 'World Player of the Year' Greg Inglis, mercurial Kangaroos full-back Billy Slater and the influential Cameron Smith and are well-fancied to deny Leeds a World Club Challenge title for a second successive season.

Manly Sea Eagles were too strong 12 months ago and the Storm are deemed by many to be too dangerous ahead of the Elland Road showdown tomorrow night, especially with the Rhinos' recent stuttering form in Super League.

But Leeds stand-off McGuire, who knows a thing or two himself about game-breaking potential, points to his own squad's talents to remind doubters of their capabilities.

"It's going to be a tough ask," he admitted: "Those players mentioned are probably the top three playing in the world right now and they are all playing for Melbourne.

"But if you go in fearing them, you're already behind. None of our boys do and we've some fantastic players in our team who, on their day, can be just as good.

"Our form has been a little scratchy and we're probably not where we'd like to be going into this match but we've shown in the last five or six years that when the big games come around we've got players that can step up to the mark."

Three consecutive Super League Grand Final victories back up his point while McGuire is one of eight players set to play in the club's fourth World Club Challenge.

Jamie Peacock, Keith Senior, Kevin Sinfield, Rob Burrow, Ryan Bailey, Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Ali Lauitiiti have each featured in all of Leeds's previous outings.

The reason they have been together so long is that they have undoubtedly delivered when it matters most, the World Club Challenge reverse against Manly 12 months ago a rare blip.

McGuire admitted that defeat left a lingering effect – Leeds lost five of their next nine fixtures – but they eventually responded to retain their Super League title.

"It did hurt us," he recalled. "We talked a lot about the game since we'd won the previous Grand Final, everyone had been using games to build up for it but when you build up so much and then don't perform you are a bit deflated.

"You can't ever question the desire of our players, we were just beaten by the better team on the night and Manly did that to a lot of NRL teams.

"But, looking back, it did carry on a few weeks after that, we had our heads down and we had a bit of slump.

"The slump has been before the World Club this time so, hopefully, we can put the performance in and it'll kick-start us for the league.

"We've a team that always bounces back and when the chips are down we all stick together. That showed when we won the Grand Final."

In his 10th season of first-team rugby with the Rhinos, and for all the rhetoric about Melbourne's threats, England international McGuire feels people should not under-estimate the talent this country has to offer.

"On the performances in the Four Nations last year, Gaz Ellis, Sam Burgess and JP (Jamie Peacock) without a doubt would be in the top 10 world players and Kev (Sinfield) wouldn't be far off," he said.

"We probably do under-value our players but, at the end of the day, it's about performing on the international stage.

"The likes of Darren Lockyer, Billy Slater and Greg Inglis do it regularly whereas we struggle a little, although I think we're steadily getting there."

The last time McGuire faced Melbourne's terrific trio was in England's Gillette Four Nations match against Australia at Wigan last autumn.

It was a difficult experience for the former East Leeds junior with Inglis, the strapping centre with frightening skills, causing chaos for him defensively while he was unable to exert his own influence offensively.

McGuire was dropped for the remainder of the tournament, leaving Wigan tyro Sam Tomkins to grasp the opportunity.

Tomorrow night would be a perfect opportunity to remind people – especially the next England coach – of his own talent but McGuire, 27, maintained: "I've not really thought about that.

"What happened last year has gone. I've put that behind me now.

"I'm just looking forward to a big season and it'd be nice for the team and Leeds as a city if we can start off with some silverware."

McGuire, part of the side that beat Melbourne two years ago, scored a remarkable try to help Rhinos to their inaugural World Club Challenge title against Canterbury Bulldogs at Elland Road in 2005.

"There was 38,000 fans there and a fantastic atmosphere," he said. "It was the first time Leeds had ever won it and, for me, probably the most special night.

"Now we want it again."