The franchise announcement last week and the controversy over Crusaders and their pulling out has left Quins out of the headlines, when perhaps they should have been the club to make way for Widnes. They seem, from the outside, to be a club in an absolute mess. Terrible attendances, the positive start to the season on the field now a distant memory, confusion over the brand and identity of the club and a mass exit of their better English players (Gale, Purdham, Ellis).

There was some noise from them pre-franchise announcement about making marquee signings and so on, but they seem to by lying very low at the moment. Given their crowds you have to question either their finances or their ability to pay enough to produce a competitive squad. I used to have a real soft spot for Quins before they adopted the Union branding so a return to their own identity is going to be a positive change. But what happens next for them? Will they just stumble through the next 3 years like they have the previous 3 and do a Crusaders next time, or is there a route to a more positive future for them?

Not sure what you are referring to by "stumbling", but the last three years they have been run far more professionally, developed strong community links (helped by the supposed confusion over brand identity), pro-actively working with the media (something they rarely did before) developing players of a greater number and quality than anything the Broncos achieved and also been the most stable part of the 30 odd year existence.

The inability to attract more people has been a disappointment but that is as much a problem with the parochial RL fans based in London. Not sure what other areas they are failing in any more than most other clubs in SL.

Stopped reading there



Nonsense.

Starbug,

How many SL clubs are self sufficient? There answer is most are not self-sufficient most have wealthy benefactors or support from their local council. The same goes for football, RU and Cricket. Given how cheap season tickets are in SL running costs of a club will have more impact on the club than a years 15% increase in attendances. American football got very good attendances in Europe but failed, ice hockey clubs were getting good attendances but failed. Leeds United went into administration with crowds most SL clubs would only ever get in their dreams.

At what point in their existence have they been run more professionally than currently ? Before you think about it do not mention the B.... word or the F... word.

Things like this I wouldn't see as an outsider obviously, but if that is the case, why have they announced that they are looking at moving back away from the Harlequins branding if it's working?



Attendances and on field results are kind of key though. I believe Quins are bottom and second bottom respectively (Taking points deductions out of it). Without the attendances it's hard to see how it's financially sustainable. Without the crowds improving it's hard to see how they will have the funds to improve the on field performances and to attract players or keep their own youth products.

Obviously there have been positive developments in London that have been helped by having a SL side down there. The amateur game and schools competitions do seem positive, as is the emergence of several home grown players, including Sargison (Sp?) who seems to be being tracked by Wigan/Wire etc.

Oh ffs, it's August; this season hasn't finished yet and people are worried about our preparations for next season.

I'm not talking next season, but more generally. But given your performances this season it would be a valid worry, especially given the departures of Gale, Purdham and Ellis, would it not?

Saddened,

Regarding the rebranding, I believe there is more to this than Quins RL are letting on. It is well known that Harlequins RU have been disappointed at not expanding the Harlequins brand, so I suspect that has had an impact on their decision. Locally the Harlequins branding has had a bigger impact than Broncos have done previously. Will rebranding make any difference? Most likely not, how the club effective goes about developing links with the local community will have a far bigger impact.

Quins on field performances following the first few games have been disappointing but their resources have been stretched and currently looks like they cannot even buy a win. What has happened at Quins is their development of players has improved greatly in the last 3 years. I do not believe they can take much credit for the amateur game that would still have happened if Quins/Broncos never existed maybe not to the same level but it would still have been healthy. It is financially sustainable because of the money being pumped into it the same can be said for most SL clubs they receive financial support from benefactors or their local council. The risk is if that cash injection stops what happens? How many elite RL clubs have got into financial trouble ?

Well if they weren't going to be replaced then yes, however I have a funny feeling that in the next 6 months they will be. And for a team that has been consistently poor a big clean out could be what's needed IMO.

de ja vue.... here we go again.....




YAWN!

Tell us why then? Do Quins have a better future than their present?

...meanwhile, Wakefield sign another overseas player that is, no doubt, not good enough for Super League.

Im just a bit old fashioned - i thought RL was about entertainment. Qunis don't produce it in sufficient volume to atttract anything that most RL fans consider a respectable crowd. I agree that they have good community development work going on but then so does RL in the South West and no one operates under the delusion that this justifies artificially supporting a super league club there. For me top flight RL in London is the RL equivalent of the Kings Invisible clothes - those in the establishment are all pretending that the kings robes are beautiful whilst those below simply shake their heads in disbelief at his nakeness.

Owiepob,

Most fans are not that concerned about entertainment, firstly concerned about the club they support and if they are winning. In London there are a lot of RL fans born and raised in the heartlands the only time they think of attending a Quins game is if their home town club are playing at The Stoop.

Thoth are you in the pub?

Thoth - Lets agree to disagree about whether fans are interested in entertainment.

I understand the premise behind the whole London top flight club experiment. Large population, lots of NZ and Aus ex pats - surely a RL club in top flight could attract a lot of supporters. I even agree on an intuitive level that it makes sense.

Sadly though after 40 years the premise has been proven to be flawed in my opinion. This is despite a range of favourable rule exemtions for the club.

Its my contention that the benefits made in the community game could have been made without top flight RL in the capital (hence the reason I cite the South West) allowing another club their spot on playing merit and allowing the rest of the SL clubs a level playing field.

Witt and Bryant signed today apparently...

I thought RL (and any other team sport where people pay to watch their local team) was about winning?

Quins haven't wo much in recent years, but we're not the only ones, and we've never finished bottom of the league.

Fortunately we have a wealthy benefactor for the foreseeable future. We haven't been into administration during the period since licencing came about (unlike Widnes, Crusaders, Wakefield etc.) so I don't really see what point you're trying to make. If those clubs (well, some of them) can be trusted to come back stronger why not us? What has the size of the crowd got to do with it if the club remains solvent? (Unlike others with bigger crowds.)

Quote ="Saddened!"Witt and Bryant signed today apparently...'" news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 424370.stm

Quote ="Saddened!"Witt and Bryant signed today apparently...'" news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 424370.stm

The much hyped PNG full-back during the Four Nations Ryan Tongia was meant to be real good but looked a bag of nerves and possibly the worst player in the tournament. Hope for Wakey's sake he turns out to be the player that was talked about prior to the Four Nations and not anything close to what he showed on the pitch to the rugby league world last year. Either that or he is and give a local player or any British player a chance and I'm also happy.

I wondered how long it would be till the flatties started going after Quins. They're all hyped up after ridding the sport of those nasty Welshmen and now they can turn their attention to the southerners.

Got to say a lot of good things have come out of the " London" franchise since Fulham all those years back.
But I've also got to say I think Fulham/Broncos/Quins has had it's time at the top table.

How long do you flog a dead horse.