Melbourne Storm pre-season Matt Soper-Lawler's toughest test

Former Maitland Picker Matt Soper-Lawler was warned summer training with the Storm would be the tough, but the 21-year-old admits nothing could prepare him for the grind and incredible spirit it created.

“The pre-season with Melbourne was definitely one of the toughest experiences I’ve had,” Soper-Lawler said this week from the Sunshine Coast, where his preparing for his second season with Melbourne feeder club the Falcons.

“Especially that three-day camp. They pretty much took us out and tested our mental strength. You don’t really sleep or anything like that for three days.

”I’ve never been through anything like that before. But I can honestly say whenever things have been getting tough at training I look back on it and know I can get through.

“The difference between them and other clubs is like chalk and cheese, they are just so professional in everything.

“They are always watching, always trying to help. They just demand perfection, which is why they are so good. 

“The wrestle sessions were crazy, they are full-on it’s just what makes them so good.

“They are just so relentless they’re always working for each other.

“It has given me a bit of confidence that I can make it. It’s still a bit away but if I work hard it can happen.”

Soper-Lawler is very much on the Storm’s radar and has been rewarded for his summer with a place in Melbourne’s trial game against the New Zealand Warriors at Rotorua Stadium on February 17.

After that his form will be monitored as he prepares to take the next step with the Falcons after scoring 17 tries in his debut year with the beaten Intrust Super Cup grand finalists.

“The trial match is a reward for going down there and doing the pre-season and they’ll probably look at us throughout this year with an eye to next year,” he said.

“I can’t rest on what’s happened to date. I’ve got to go back to the Sunshine Coast and play some good footy as well.

“I was pretty lucky I was on the back of a pretty good attack. I was pretty lucky to score some of the tries.”

Seventeen tries from 21 games could hardly be described as luck but Soper-Lawler is determined to continue to improve his game.

“It’s definitely been for my betterment moving up here, not just football but life as well. Seeing a different lifestyle and different point of view,” he said.

“The goal is to have a really good year up here and see where it takes me, hopefully something comes out of it, but if not I’m still young and just have to keep working hard. 

“Even back training with the Sunshine Coast I’ve seen the results of the summer. I’m a lot more confident, a lot fitter and a lot stronger. Now I just want to have the ball in my hand all the time, which is a really good thing to come back with.”

Soper-Lawler said he had drawn inspiration from former Knights NSW Cup teammate Nathan Ross’ journey to the NRL.

“I try and keep in touch with Rossy as much as I can, just to get some advice from someone like him is great. He has been really good.”