How many of you apologists can defend a 48-0 home surrender to Castleford Tigers?

It happens to us all sometimes. We had a 70-0 tonking from Leeds in 2004 or 2005 (can't remember which); we hammered Wigan 75-0 around the same time; Wire were hammered by Quins at Quins earlier this season; Cas were hammered by Leeds just a couple of weeks ago.

These things happen. They're humiliating and it's a damn shame that Quins have crashed an burned because I was really hoping they'd make it to the playoffs this season. Do you have one last shot at it next week or is this it?

Its not just a one-off defeat. Its six home defeats in a row in front of an ever-dwindling support base.

Humiliations at home have been a regular occurrence.

St Helens
Huddersfield
Leeds
Bradford
Castleford

I've been watching the club since 1998 and a season ticket holder since 2002 and I've never felt as bad about the on field performances as now.

4 wins at home all season.
1 win from the last 11 games.
4 wins from the last 15 games.

For Brian to stand up at the end and say they are all really committed and working really hard… well, it doesn't add up.

The perfromance was diabolical but the same old speech from McDermott afterwards was even harder to take.

I think we have only won 3 home games this season!!!

Are you counting your golden point cup triumph over Halifax?

We couldn't even give Huddersfield a game until half time.

I feel if the RFL abandoned their expansion agendas, and redirected finances elsewhere, the grim reaper could be hovering over Harlequins

You sound like you're on dope or something.

Gate are down by just under 9% on last season with only two over 4k, after today's disaster I shudder to think what our season ticket sales for next year will be like. It all went pear shaped with the home tonking by Leeds - before that we were motoring along nicely, with a top four berth a real possibility. There have to be big changes starting with a proper board structure and a Director of Rugby to oversee the whole playing side from U18s to first grade, plus (I'm afraid to say) a new first team coach. If all BM can do after a game is mouth the same tired cliches then he's lost it and must either walk or be pushed. I was sweating on the Sky shedule for next week as Warrington's a relatively easy journey from where I live - not any more!!!

It's a real pity the way your team has gone. They started off so well, it must be very disappointing for you. I hope any loss of fans is not a permanent thing and that something can be done to rescue the situation.

The 'glory days' of early 2009 season are well and truly over

[url=http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/09/09/06/RUGBYL_Harlequins_Quotes.htmlQUINS FRUSTRATED AS TIGERS SEAL PLAY-OFF PLACE[/url


Does our esteemed coach not watch the games?

That's a classic. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

I've been criticised on here for not being committed as a fan and having gone along today I remember why I haven't bothered. It really was astonishing to see the difference in a year, watching it live brings it home even more

I would say we were lucky to only be 12 down at half time because the 6/7 most dangerous players on the pitch were all Tigers. Oh for a Rangi Chase in our side, more creativity in the 1st half than our entire team all game

Also an apology to the marketing team, Alistair Campbell would struggle to make anything positive from that, how we can expect them to market such utter rubbish is beyond me

Still great to know the players are working hard and the coach doesn't what to do next to put it right................not sure I would be admitting that to be honest !!

were you there to see it? Nope? Great post..........

The title of the post suggested to me that someone had actually taken Rupe out with an Uzi - unfortunately not! Rupe - Go away you tedious little turd!!!

Make sure you give a little kiss to your Jon Wells signed photo before you go to bed to keep the nightmares away.

The club is in terminal decline! The sooner people accept it ,and more importantlly DEMAND something be done to stop it the better.
McDermott MUST go. Hes had more chances than John Moonie, Dan Staines and Tony Rae put together,And didnt we howl for there heads?
Weve been overtaken by Wakefield, Castleford and Huddersfield.Next season at this rate itll be Salford and Crusaders.
Something must happen NOW. Getting rid of B.Mac must be the start.

I'm not sure where the season has gone horribly wrong?

When we won away at HKR on a Friday night I thought we would definitely finish in the top 6 and even the top four if we had a half decent second half of the season, but how wrong I was with only 1 win in 12!!!!

I know we have had key players injured in the second half of the season, but so have all clubs, is it that our squad is so light on quality that we have no decent back-up players?
I think this may be the case as from the last few games a lot of our key players(and play makers at that) seem to be playing at 50% because they are carrying injuries i.e. Purdham, Orr, Randall.
To top that McCarthy-Scbrook has not looked the same player since his England call up and for the last few games is playing on one leg. Clubb is another who since actually playing for England has been poor and I'm sure he cannot blame that on any injury he may be carrying.
If players are injured then however poor the back-up players may be they should be played instead, at least as supporters we may be able to accept getting smashed at home nearly every week.

Our coaching (or lack of it) needs to be addressed without delay as it seems that we never have any sort of plan when attacking in the oppositions last 20, today was a case in point when we had as many if not more chances in their 20 than they did in ours yet they scored two tries and we did not even get close to scoring. Now whether getting rid of McDermott is the way to go, I'm not sure, but what we do need is an attack coach, and please don't tell me we have got one because if we have then I'm afraid who ever it is definitely needs the sack.

Bearing in mind we have already started to recruit for next season, if McDermott is going to go then it has to be in the next week or so, so that we can get a new coach in quick and allow him some time to recruit some players. I know that this may be a problem due to lack of revenue, but something needs to be done.

I have been watching the quins/broncos since the first time we played at the Valley and even the years we struggled I cannot remember a period like the second half of this season.

I'm not sure what is or who is to blame.....

Is the manger the problem?
The players?
Injuries?
Lack of Depth/Quality?
Lack of support or financial backer?

Whatever it is someone needs to sort it before next season otherwise come the time for the new franchise application I fear that quins rl could disappear for ever!!!

That is my rant/ramblings over sorry to bore you all!!!!

Its the fans - they dont give the players the gee up they need

Thanks, I thought I must have been on the wrong track !!!!!!!!!

Credit where credit is due, rupe1 you usually post utter tosh, but the tittle of this thread had me in stitches



As for the question well you cannot defend the indefensible.

Some teams seem to get the timing all wrong and peak far too early - Hull as well as us, Huddersfield and Wakefield in previous years - while the good ones don;t care about losing some games early in the year but steadily improve as it goes on.

For me, the watershed came after Brian McDermott "slammed" his players and confessed he didn't know what to do earlier in the season - but other contributors to this forum continued to be supportive of him.

As I've mentioned before, the problem can't lie with the players, because they demonstrated their aptitude earlier in the season.

If I had to work under Brian McDermott as my coach, week after week, I can imagine my enthusiasm being ground down.

I feel for the players, and can only hope they get a less negative coach next year.

This reminds me of the dead parrot sketch. This side is dead, devoid of life etc Mc Dermott has killed it by flogging the players in training and playing them whey they were injured. Now they do not want to play at all.


The sad thing is, is that next season will we have more of the same unless serious changes are made. By the board.