Everybody is still buzzing after getting the franchise last week and I arrived on Sunday, on what everybody tells me was the hottest day of the year.

It was awesome to get such great weather on my first day here, a lot better than arriving in the middle of winter like a lot of the Aussie boys do.

I'm still settling in, but I had the chance to meet a lot of the fans at the franchise party on Sunday afternoon and they were great. Everyone's been really friendly and they've made me feel at home straight away.

To be honest, it is a big relief to finally be here. As soon as I signed, I got my visa from over here and I thought I'd be able to come straight away.

I packed all my stuff and got my house rented out, so I had nowhere to stay. Then I was just sitting around waiting for a letter or an email to say that I could come over.

It has been really frustrating, but it's great to be here now and the good thing is I will have had a full week to prepare for Sunday's game against Huddersfield.

It's been six or seven weeks since I had a game, so I am chomping at the bit to get out there.

From what I've seen so far, the training facilities are good and it's a good pitch, so I'm looking forward to getting my first taste of playing in England.

The stadiums over here are a bit different to what I'm used to in Australia and I'm pleased that I'll be starting in a home game, if selected.

The crowds here are something I've been looking forward to and if they are yelling and screaming, it's going to be great for me.

I reckon it'll be worth a couple of extra points to us.

I have watched quite a bit of Super League since I signed for Castleford and it is good, flowing footy.

Super League has got a lot better over the years and I'm expecting it to be really tough and physical, though I won't really know what to expect until I get out there.

I always wanted to play over here at some stage and when Newcastle's coach Brian Smith told me he didn't want me for next year, I thought now might be the time.

I didn't want to go to another NRL club and start again there. I knew Terry Matterson, because he was at Melbourne when I was playing reserve grade there, so Dennis Moran – my brother-in-law – got in touch with the football manager here, Mick Robinson, he got back to me straight away and the next thing I knew, I'd signed and I was waiting to come over.

I've got another two years after this one and it's good to come over for the final five games of the season.

It means I can get to know everybody and get used to the way we play, then I'll be ready for next year.

I know Castleford are at the bottom of the comp at the moment, but now they have got the franchise they can start to plan ahead and hopefully in a couple of years we'll be in the semis and then anything can happen.

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