DAILY training in Florida has provided Salford coach Shaun McRae and his squad with an early New Year tonic ahead of one of the most important campaigns in the club's history.

McRae and his men check out of their Jacksonville hotel next week, but already fitness levels and morale in the camp are sky-high.

Kiwi prop Phil Leuluai says influential skipper Mal Alker is greatly responsible for creating a "family spirit" among what is a strong, determined squad.

Leuluai says: "The team spirit is terrific. Mal is a great captain and he has made sure there is fantastic unity among all the players.

"When I first came to Salford this possibly wasn't the case but it is now. I have also been greatly impressed with our new conditioner Andy Haigh - an, he's just awesome!

"Training has been tough but it's been varied and interesting. Andy has worked very hard and the sessions have been superb. This is thefirst time I have ever been part of this kind of thing and I feel good.

"Coach Shaun McRae has also greatly impressed me. He too is extremely thorough."

Leuluai is hoping for a big year and will pack down alongside Craig Stapleton.

"They were team-mates at Cronulla and with Alker going in at hooker, Salford can look at steam-rollering their opponents into submission.

Phil adds: "It will be good to be alongside Craig again, he's a very experienced player and like me, he is looking forward to the challenge.

"I have a lot of respect for Big Red. We have some very good players here at Salford. A lot of the young guys have also greatly impressed me - they are mighty keen and they are talented too."

Salford's fifth visit to Jacksonville for warm-weather pre-season training has definitely helped ease the pain of relegation suffered at the end of last season, and McRae's men are totally focused on the job in hand.

McRae is spoiled for choice when it comes to naming his starting XIII.

He has closely analysed every player. Yesterday afternoon, he spent a full session at Hodges Stadium working on set-plays, determining tactics and openly encouraging a brand of rugby to maximise the team's potential. Reds will apply for a Super League franchise licence in March and are very strong contenders come mid-summer to be among the sport's "chosenfew".

Football director Steve Simms says: "All the players have worked mighty hard this week.

"The determination is there for all to see. We now have bags of competition for places in the starting line-up right across the board.

"This kind of trip is a great experience for a number of young guys who have progressed up into the senior squad.

"It is their chance to impress. They have been keen to show what they are made of and are doing just that. We are delighted.

"When they see players like Karl Fitzpatrick, Ian Sibbit and JohnnyWilshere training the house down, they have the incentive to really put the effort in themselves.

"They are a good bunch. The senior guys set a great example.

"Team spirit counts for everything in any professional sport and there is a common bond running right through the ranks of wanting to perform.

"We know what to expect this season because it's a fact rival teams will be raising their game against us.

"That's good from our point of view because it means we cannot afford to be complacent. We won't, - that is something a coach of Shaun's calibre will not allow. That's amessage he has quickly got over to everyone. We are also very ambitious.

"The training facilities we have been using at the University of North Florida are second to none.

"The pitch is superb, there's a fully-equipped gym, a track and more. We have been able to do so much.

"The weather is fantastic and our preparations could not be going better at this stage of the campaign.

Work on the club's new £35 million stadium home at Barton, central to the club's bid for a franchise, will start soon.

Chairman John Wilkinson will mark the milestone, a historic occasion with a major civic function that will be attended by the Rugby Football League hierarchy including Richard Lewis and Nigel Wood.

Local MPs and other dignitaries will also be in attendance.

This event will spell out Salford's bold intentions to work towards being among the game's premier clubs within the next four years. Tweet