Harlequins RL season preview 2011

By Ian Ramsdale
BBC London rugby league presenter

New Quins coach Rob Powell has never played professional rugby league

There aren't too many people tipping Harlequins RL for success in 2011.

After finishing 13th in Super League out of 14 last year and following the loss of a number of players, that's not a surprise.

Superficially, the squad looks heavily reliant on loan players for strength, depth and experience - headed by the league's youngest coach, Rob Powell, but he views his squad a different way.

"We're quite versatile," he told BBC Sport. "We have a lot of blokes than can double up in positions.

"The people we've brought in can do a couple of jobs. I don't know if it's strength in depth, as such, but room for manoeuvre if things don't go right."

There were a number of holes in the squad that needed filling following the departures of winger Will Sharp, season-long loan man Ben Jones-Bishop, experienced Aussie Luke Williamson, half-back Danny Orr and Greenwich-born big hitter Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook.

There's just two new permanent signings, both from the southern-hemisphere.

I remain committed to the club through 2011 and the next three years of the licence period.

Harlequins chairman David Hughes

Nick Kouparitsas - or Nick the Greek as he's known in the squad - from Sydney and Chris Bailey, younger brother of Salford's Phil - while the back-bone of the side has been together for a few years now.

But Quins have again make good use of the loan market.

Leeds prop Luke Ambler, Hull second rower Mike Burnett and Wigan pair Karl Pryce and Joe Mellor are all on temporary stays in the capital. And London-born former England winger Mark Calderwood has three games, in his trial spell, to prove himself worth a full contract.

They will be looking to have the impact that Jones-Bishop and Kevin Penny did last year, when they were often the stand-out performers.

That only stands to benefit what is a year-on-year increase in London-born and Harlequins-bred players making the first-grade cut.

Quins' development production line show no sign of slowing either. Don't be surprised to see more like McCarthy-Scarsbrook make a name for themselves at The Stoop.

But the best news for Harlequins RL fans came from chairman David Hughes ahead of last season's final game when he said: "I remain committed to the club through 2011 and the next three years of the licence period."

Looking for new investment could be difficult for Hughes too, with the club losing annually £1.5m.

But Hughes' continued support means that Quins' franchise is surely nailed on, although attendances continue to be a concern of the club and the governing body.

"There's no doubting that, on the field, 2010 was disappointing," said Powell.

"We haven't got the best record defensively over the last few years and probably lost some games we should have won.

"But we've got to look at that and say it's not good enough and get better at it."

Rob Purdham will continue to captain Harlequins in his testimonial year

Last year, the club conceded over 800 points, one of only two clubs to do so. And only Salford and Catalans scored less points over the 27 rounds.

But Luke Dorn is one to keep an eye on.

He missed the first 11 rounds last year.

Yet Dorn still ended up Harlequins top try scorer with 18 and is looking forward to playing at full-back this year.

Add to all that, captain Rob Purdham playing his 10th year as a professional in the capital and now, at last able to put "the worst year of my life" behind him, awarded a testimonial.

Realistically, Quins are not going to repeat last season's highlight, the 38-26 win over eventual champions Wigan at the DW Stadium in April, or challenge the top clubs for the title. But this certainly not a side that are not capable of making the play-offs.

That would be a definite success and they will need an element of luck and good fortune.

But they sure are overdue a bit of that.

BBC London 94.9's weekly Rugby League show returns Wednesday, 9 February. The programme is free to download from Thursday mornings, as a BBC Podcast.