That was the pledge of coach Matt Calland, who believes the two day camp - a near carbon copy of last year's trip to RAF Aldergrove, near Belfast - will provide the ideal foundation for on-field success in 2010.

"If it's anything like as good as last year's camp, it is going to be extremely beneficial for us," said Calland, who took his players to Lincolnshire earlier than scheduled yesterday afternoon following the postponement of their pre season fixture at Championship neighbours Keighley.

"It's about bringing the group closer together and taking all the players and coaches out of their comfort zones.

"The players were really challenged in a lot of areas last year and I'm sure it will be the same this weekend.

"We haven't got a warm weather trip this winter, so this is a chance to get away as a team and spend some time in a quality environment."

The programme for the weekend has again been co-ordinated by Calderdale-born RAF officer Damian Clayton, the former Brighouse Rangers player, with a mix of military-style exercises, psychological tests and conventional on-field training on the agenda.

"Damian does a great job and as a club we're really grateful for all the work he and the RAF put into organising these weekends for us," said Calland, who was due to join his players in a 'tactical advance to battle' at 6am today.

"As far as rugby league goes, it will be nice for the players to get their hands on a ball after the amount of disruption we've had due to the weather over the last month."

That disruption claimed another victim yesterday when Fax's pre season date with Super League neighbours Huddersfield - the benefit fixture for the Giants' England prop Eorl Crabtree which was frozen off on January 10 - was finally canned until 2011.

"We've looked at the fixture programme over the next couple of weeks and there just isn't room to accomodate a rearrangement before the start of the season," said Crabtree's agent David Howes.

"We've now got dispensation from the Rugby Football League to extend Eorl's testimonial by a couple of weeks and play the game at the same time next year."