A proper board of (say) 5 members would help. This isn't a critism of DH, but with the best will in the world he can't be expected to do all that needs to be done on his own together with running his own business.

I hope DH says enough is enough and aims to shake the club from top to bottom with Mr. Evans help.

It's very difficult to say who should go and who should stay because at the end of the day the club HAS one long-term objective: another franchise position in 2012.

On the field you can argue that BM has made LMS and Clubb into England internationals and recruited a number of English born players but what do Quins bring to the Super League as a whole? Poor attendances, no major honours in SL era, no major final spot for 10 years, a huge turnover of players and boardroom staff, regular name changes, no true identity....

It certainly isn't looking to good but the on-field situation isn't helped by the small squad BM has to work with and he has seen injuries and suspensions to key players wreck his play-off hopes but then some of the games lost have been very close affairs like Wigan (18-24), Catalans Dragons (24-2icon_cool.gif, Saints (22-12), Wakefield (20-1icon_cool.gif and Salford (22-26) so that suggests that in fact Quins have performed very well in 2009 but then you look at then Quins have conceaded 30 points or more in 8 games.

I think recruitment is a big, big issue for Quins this winter because I think that BM has to start making big decisions and release some big names and big earners like Gafa, Dorn (maybe) and Wells as well as ditching some fringe players like Mbu, Gardner, Grayshon and Heckenberg. I'd like to see BM make some big signings but this links back to my comment about the low attendances meaning less money is available.

I think now is the time to make a big decision into the future of the Quins RL. Are the club safe enough over the long-term? Are the RFL going to drop QRL from SL in 2012? If these answers are no then there is no point making a bid in 2012 IMO and leaving the "Harlequins" name behind and once again moving.

I find it staggering that we are apparently so close to the salary cap limit given our squad. Robinson and Williamson must be on absolutely stupid wages. It does not say great things about the people running the club.

My position from 4 weeks ago has not changed. McDermott, if he has any sense, must walk away.

BM seems to have nailed his colours to the Philosophy (not his alone) that defense wins matches. Robinson especially and Williamson are quality defenders and we certainly needed stiffening up from last season. However we seem to have lost our way going forward and some money should have been reserved for one quality gamebreaker. Every succesful club this season seems to have one such as Hodgson at KR who seems to single handedly set the team aligt by scoring or creating. Hence IMO why we seem lost going forward. Watching Cullen analyse the top clubs moves is interesting in that it demonstrates what we should be expecting from our own team. IMO we seem to be lost for ides and if there are any set moves then they are too deep for my untrained eye to pick up on

Thank you for posting my comments on Brian Mac, Listy. I fully appreciate seeing in print how foolish I was back then...

4 wins in 14 is e. I posted after the Salford game that I can't see where our next win is coming from, and I don't think we will win another game this season - Cas and Warrington both have too much to play for. I also think we'll probably finish 12th as well this year, which would be disasterous. Celtic did well managing to pull in over 5,000 fans at Newport last night after what was a catastrophic "bad media week" for them. What was our gate v Leeds? Circa 4,300?

Something needs to change, and I think if we do finish 12th then personally, Brian will walk of his own accord. Next season is massive for boosting a new franchise proposal.

I think those two are too similar and Robinson especially seems very injury prone. Lee Hopkins played in the same position and could defend, but he brought far more to the table than either Luke or Chad.

Snoopy, I was not even thinking about the ground issue! I was make reference more to general approach.

Lower cost of living, some of the younger players did get moved to the Cardiff harbour/marina apartments, which they love, can't see that being cheap.

I understand the [idefence wins games [/iphilosophy but you can bring in attackers who can also defend. Look at Leeds and Saints. Their attackers fit well into there defensive patterns.

Leeds have Burrow, McGuire, Sinfield, Webb plus their wingers who are brilliant in attack- but can defend. The same could be said for Saints.

We have Dorn in attack(poor) who cant defend!!......and defenders that cant attack

Tend to agree. Our strategy seems to have been based to a large extent around these 2 players but how often have they actually been fit enough to play at the same time ?

I think the strength in depth over individual quality policy has come back to bite us on the backside. We ned 6 or 7 top quality players backed up by some NRL journeymen and juniors. Then you need a lucky season with injuries. Thats the only way a club like ours can succeed. Having a squad packed with average to good players just won't work, especially in the second half of the season when all the other teams are right up to speed, and the classy players are really playing well in the approach to the play-offs.

It worked early in the season as our defence won us games, it isnt any more.

We need a quality organising and kicking half, and some power and pace in the three quarters.

Teams have cottoned on to our basic tactics and our inability to change styles has really hurt us this year - and provided some pretty dull rugby

If the only way to attract some quality players is through Kolpacs then we have to go for it. The Northern clubs have a huge advantage over us in that quality british players are prepared to change clubs for the right money knowing they dont have to Up Sticks as they do with us. This limits the pool of players available or us to sign. Im all for us signing British players but not when that policy restricts our ability to compete. We couldnt even persuade that Barrow player to move from the NL1!

We have done nothing since TR went. McDermott has had his time and must be replaced. The rugby is boring to watch, we have no flair and no plan B

Do we even have a Plan A ?

four trundles and a knock-on

I belive Quins need some fresh eyes. We need a hungry coach from Australia. Nathan Brown was a fairly average coach in the NRL and look what he's done for Huddersfield. It appears that British coaches are not expansive enough.

I don't want to jump on the Brian Out bandwagon as I've always backed him, but the way this season has turned out I think there's something in what you say about a hungry Aussie coach. Its not just BM, you've got the likes of Agar at FC and Macnamara at Bulls who are British coaches and compare them to the likes of Potter, Morgan and Brown. Everyone slaggged off Hudds / Brown's playing style at first but they're in the CC Final and have the playoffs too. Maybe our team or our coach doesn't have enough 'mongrel' in them. Whatever it is it doesn't look like the current crop of British coaches are able to keep up with their Aussie counterparts!

its a tough league full of good sides. we've underperformed and are where we deserve to be. whether its the coaches fault or the players im not sure.
Most of our loses come from fundamental errors and you cant blame the coach for them.
The negative rugby you can.

I have said it before and I will say it again, at times our attack is so flat with the play the ball we look like we are defending team - not the attacing side.

V Bradford the other week at times the teams were so close they could sniff each others backsides at the play the ball.

We need to stand deeper to give our forwards a chance to run on to the ball at speed and also create room for Puro, Orr and Dorn. It also gives Randall more to aim at.

We started the season standing deeper, we peaked at HKR at the end of June and slowly as the season draws on we have shallowed up the attack more and more.

I cannot remember a more dull and boring second half to a season in nearly 35 years of watching the game.

I know we haven't been a flambouyant side (since Ross Strudwick and the Crusaders days at Barnet) but we have never been this dull - reminds me of Bradford in the final winter years stuck in the mud of Odsal.

Recruitment / promote from reserves -

Winger with pace - and I mean real pace to go on the outside.

Second Row with pace - we need a Lee Hopkins type

2 x front row to support Ward, Tamata, LMS

Outs

Heckingberg
Gaffa (or move to second row)


Positional changes

Clubb in to the centre berth (alongside Howell).

Compare Clubb's long run at centre last year with mixing positions this season in amongst the forwards, not contest - this year he has looked a shadow of last season. He wants to be a centre - so let him have a full season at it and coach / work on his passing and vision. He has the size and pace.

I agree with all you say apart from above and ...



If he wants to be a centre put him in the reserves to work on his passing / vision else give him a go in the front row, he has the size and a good work rate.

Clubb will never be a to class centre.

We played some good stuff at Brentford- Marty, Tommy, Dorn etc

Yeah we played some good stuff that last Broncos season we got to the play offs. Lee Hopkins was also important as well as the 'golden triangle', don't feel the club has found a decent replacement for him ie a strong running second rower.

Nor Marty sadly, what a player.

According to Rammo on BBC London Mac is as safe as houses and there is no chance of him being replaced......
And, regardless of all the yes/no votes in Listys little campaign, I suspect the yes vote from the club.......is the one that counts.

So, is it more of the same in 2010?