The Rhinos, the 2017 champions of Super League, wil take on the defending NRL premiers at AAMI Park on February 16.

The Storm only lost four games last year and possess a squad full of internationals who are led by Kangaroos and Queensland captain Cameron Smith.

McDermott describes them as a "really dangerous team".

"I've seen enough of them to know we have a big challenge on our hands," the Leeds boss admitted to Inside Sport.

"They go through stages Melbourne when you watch of being really, really clinical in what they do and its almost you can predict what they're going to do.

"But I also think they've got a really good blend - and this is what makes them a really dangerous team. They've got a really good blend of seeing when someone's fallen over and exploiting it there and then.

"They've had and got some fantastic players that the machine runs so well that maybe some of those individual players could stand back and see that someone's fallen over and go down a short side when it's the right time to do so."

 


 

The two teams have met three times before in the World Club Challenge, the match that decides the best club side in the world of rugby league, in the past 10 years.

Leeds prevailed 11-4 over Melbourne in 2008, the Storm won 18-10 in 2010 and then again 18-14 in their 2013 encounter.

McDermott believes while Melbourne's playing style may be predictable and structured, stopping them and matching them in the middle of the field is another task.

"Our task against Melbourne is going to be a physical task," he said.

"They may come up with something we haven't seen before. Knowing Craig Bellamy he's pretty studious as a coach and he may come up with something that we're not prepared for.

"But I'm going to gamble and say there I don't think there will to be too much, I don't think we will get surprised too much by what we face. It's just the level of intensity that we have to get our boys ready for, especially the strength of carry."