Dan Sarginson is the latest Harlequins RL youngster to graduate to the first team and completes the set of eight home-grown players who have a top 25 squad number.
Share A bright future is predicted for the 18-year-old stand off who has made the step up from the Quins Academy and is the eighth locally produced player included in their squad for Super League XVI.
Hemel Hempstead born Sarginson, began playing at school before joining local amateur club Hemel Stags. Spotted by Quins coaches, he was invited to join the Harlequins Scholarship programme and progressed to playing for the Under 18s and then the Under 20's.

Along the way he has picked up representative honours including Origin - where the best players from north and south of the river Thames compete in a series of games - and England Under 16's Training squad.

Last season, while studying for his A Levels at Cavendish School in Hemel, he was invited to train with the Quins Super League squad during his summer holidays.

"Traditionally we haven't produced decision makers who break through to the 1st grade squad and in that sense Dan breaks the mould," said Rob Powell, Head Coach.

"This is a massive step forward in the development of the game down here. He has all of the tools required to succeed and the competitive character to go with it. I look forward to seeing him in a first team shirt and would like to thank all of the people who have helped develop him over the years."

Head of Youth Performance, Phil Jones added: "Dan's progression to the first team squad is a reflection of both his determination and talent. It is also credit to the hard work of all of the coaches on our player pathway from Scholarship through to U20's and reflects how the scheme is maturing; it is starting to produce players who play in key decision making positions.

"Finally, it is a positive message about the development work done by Bob Brown and his team of volunteers at Hemel Hempstead Stags."

Great news ...... for the long term, but am I the only one on here completely underwhelmed by the signings we have made in terms of quality, position and number (relating to experienced heads). I do try and look on the 'glass half full' side of things with Quins RL but even for them effectively 6/7 weeks to the start of the season and to say the squad is paper thin is an understatement.

You are not the only one underwhelmed, however, I think that many of us are not surprised by the situation.

Underwhelmed would be an over statement.

Stunned if I am honest.
If we don't get something from the first 2 games of the season I can see us eclipsing the Halifax record of 2003......or maybe go even one better/worse.
I still fail to see how DH is managing to lose 1.5 million a year at Quins. We have a paper thin squad that will get steamrolled a number of times this year and in reality, apart from maybe 1 surprise win and the usual target games v Crusaders, Salford and maybe Wakey we really will struggle to win anything. As a result...the home crowds will get even smaller and I will be back in 10 months with the same old crapolla!

I really do hope that the DH/RFL stand off from the end of last season doesn't come back to bite us on the behind.....we are by no means out of the woods re another 3 years licence IMO......and if we are all corrcect about our squads ability and I am correct about crowds then by the time someone is going to the championship, we could be rock bottom of SL and running an average gate of sub 2,500

We seem to be building a squad more suitable for the championship.

That's my concern. I honestly believe that Harlequins RL are in the mix with the other clubs in peril and it will be more about them failing than us being a strong bid


Halifax hold the record for only winning one game in SL and also are competing with PSG and the cumbrians as the lowest attendance for a season....both records could be broken in 2011......

Don't think there will be too many match day experiences to enjoy this season

Way too negative people. Dorn, Purdham, Temata, Ward, Clubb, Melling, Randall, Howell are all decent SL players. Not Championship players. And Im hopeful Kouparitsas and Bailey will also be Sl quality. O'Callaghan was starting to look like a good SL player toward the end of last season and Krasniqi could step up too. Its definitely a thin squad so injuries will be crucial. But Im not having it that we'll be easy beats or that we're a Championship squad.

Seriously..the club need to be looking at this now.
We went into 2010 with a worying squad, this year it is bordering on terrifying......as has been suggested in other threads, we need a 'hook" to attact away fans to come down. The first home game of the season is against Crusaders in late Feb...given the weather at the moment in Blighty, I wouldn't bother with this at all...it will be a 2k or so gate.

The target games that I would look to attract away fans as well as really pushing the boat out to attract new/local fans in 2011 would be:
FC in March - Bradford and Rovers in June - Wigan and Wire in July - and leeds and Saints towards the end of the season.

6 games that all need a theme....NOW!

Something Like a Beachwear day for Wire.....a Fancy Dress day for Rovers.....then convey this THOSE CLUBS NOW!!!!!!

Reduced ticket prices, encouragement to lay on extra coaches......decent prizes.....etc.....all this will add to the match day experience for those NEW LOCAL FANS that we can attract.

There is no point spending 25 grand marketing the Crusaders, Salford, Welsh games...even if you add 1,000 new fans they won't be back if the stoop isn't rocking.

Sorry.....I have done it again...this was a squad thread and I've converted it to a lecture at the club. My Bad

'bordering on terrifying' calm down FFS.

Great Post

They can be on their day but alas, they generally haven't all had their "day" at the same time in the past.


You'd hope so given we have signed them wouldn't you




Let's hope so



Since I started watching the team I have never been so depressed with regard to the depth of the squad....I normally concentrate on having a pop at the marketing people, so for me to comment on the squad, it must be bad.

I repeat.....2 wins from the first 2 games needed because I think the next chance we'll have at any points will be in April

Maybe just realistic

Mike Burnett has signed a one year contract and joins the squad early january !!!

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/hull/9291605.stm[/url

Injuries are a fact of life in RL so you have to plan for them.

That word in connection with TW2 just doesn't sit well IMO

Purdham and Randall are outstanding players and would be welcomed to any SL side.

Dorn can be good, can be bad but what’s his position ?

Melling good player but what’s his position ?

Clubb, Howell and Temata decent standard but the latter injury prone and currently injured.

Ward, love him but he has had his day and is not big enough to make any impact in the front row.

Agreed on the overseas players, hopefully more Randall than Robinson.

O’Callaghan, well you couldn't be further from the truth, defensively inept.

Krasniqi, yes totally agree, he looked great and I have high hopes for him.

The pick of the rest are average Wilkes, Gale, Ellis and Golden and I hope the loanees Ambler and Burnett offer significantly more options.

Bolger, Sarginson, Bryan, Caro are young and raw and nowhere near good enough just now.

Williams shouldn’t be anywhere near the pitch.

Given the change in coach the only thing I am looking for this season is for a more positive attitude from the team with a give it all ethos every game, win or lose, don't expect major things in terms of positions but do expect a change it the way we play and am more upbeat about this season than the last 2.

It all depends on how hungry the side is. If we have the right attitude and try and compete rather than being beat before we enter the pitch. We should get Ian Holloway in as a motivational coach, he has done it in the Premier League against all the odds with a side that cost nowt and was not expected to win a game. It is all about ambition, drive and passion, we may not win anything but we can win hearts and minds and that is the big task in London. I am looking forward to 2011, I hope the squad are!

Where does that get you in professional rugby league- there is a difference between defending a 10 foot by 8 foot goal and defending a 60 metre line against a team that is bigger, fitter, faster, more skilled.........


Ps- Do Leeds, Wigan, Wire, Saints not have it? Is that the secret we are going to exploit

Agree with both sides of this argument and confess to being a tad schizophrenic whilst sitting on the fence considering my options.................

Squad is thin, but has a core of decent players. If we get our tactics right and get a decent start - ai agree 4 points after 2 games is key. if we do, confidence may grow and confidence can make you half a metre faster, better tackler etc........................

So i head the Millenium feeling...............................confused

Added to the confusion is how are Catalans going to do this year after last years disaster

Disagree about Ellis, think he could be very good for us this season.

However I think we are still in need of at least two heavy hitters in the front row and at least one real speed merchant in the backs Without the go forward from the pack our back line will always be at a big disadvantage compared to most of the other SL teams and, as we saw with Penny last year on loan, having a strike player can be a huge boost to the crowd and the rest of the team.

Let's hope that there is more squad news to come...