Challenge Cup Classic

What a comeback! With Leeds scoring just before half time to take the game to 18-4, Quins were staring down the barrel of a flogging! But the second half response was outstanding. Good luck to Leeds in the Cup, although I think they used up most of it yesterday, but the best team lost that game. I have to say though that the Rhinos are by far the fastest team we've seen at the Stoop this year.

Wave upon wave of Quins attack meant Leeds couldn't get out of their own half. Pulling back to take a 2 point lead, Will Sharp looked to have scored an excellent try out wide to push to 6 or possible 8 points. Ian Smith ruled forward pass!! The great Jamie Peacock forced his way over with a couple of minutes to go to give Leeds the lead, and it was inevitable that they would go over again before the end. A loss by 10 was scant reward for the Quins efforts.

Henry Paul ran himself to water - it would have been a fitting end to his League career if we had reached Wembley this year. Tribute has to be paid to our forward pack though. Missing Daniel Heckenberg and Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook for an extended period, Karl Temata, Danny Ward and Gareth Haggerty have really got us going forward. In fact. Karl Temata is playing by far his best football since joining us at the end of the Broncos era.

Add to that the massive improvement in Joe Mbu this year - I never thought he'd develop an offload game and he is really starting to boss the ruck now - and the great form of Michael Worrincy and Tony Clubb, and you can see great things for the club this year, and for years to come.

I know others (Paul Cullen and Peter Sharp take note) love to whinge about injuries, but apart from Hecks and Louis we are missing Rob Purdham (surely a cert for England's World Cup squad), Mark McLinden (the heart of the club in my opinion) and Scott Hill (the most naturally talented player in Super League).

The crowd may have been small, but the genuine appreciation for Quins, and Leeds to be fair, make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Dwayne Chambers - a future in League?

Cas have decided not to proceed with Dwayne Chambers' trial - maybe it was all a publicity stunt and if so it has worked.

I don't know if he could, or wants to, make it in League. All I can say is that when Cas came down to Quins for the Cup match he was excellent with fans - young and old. He signed numerous autographs, had his picture taken ad nauseam, and chatted with Luke Dorn like they were old mates.

Whatever we think of the whole thing - he did play for 39 minutes against professional opposition. That takes a lot of bottle and I applaud him for that.

International row

As usual we've had a controversy about international availability for New Zealand for the Centenary Test in Friday. For me there is no controversy - internationals MUST take preference over domestic football.

Over the last couple of years, Quins have lost both Tommy Leuluai (NZ) and Chris Melling (GB) to long term injury suffered in Tests - its the price of success in a collision sport like ours.

The answer lies within ourselves - lets make a meaningful mid season international / representative season that may build over 20 years to rival State of Origin. With the right marketing we should be able to attract enough sponsorship to reduce Super League fixtures without undermining club finances, allowing a few bye weeks to give rep players some respite.

Maybe we have a Home Internationals tournament - maybe a three game Origin style series - how about Saxons v Celts?

Millennium Magic

Had a great day at Cardiff yesterday - the event is already building an atmosphere of its own. Its just a great way to meet other League fans, regardless of who they support.

Crowds up over last year, but the one shortcoming the event has is the lack of promotion in Cardiff and South Wales. I know it is supported by the Tourist Development arm of the city council but surely it must be of local interest to promote this superb event to those that live there!

Massive disappointment that the Quins have again let a game slip away from them, but as someone has said on the forums - at least we're not Wigan!

I hope the veiled threats about moving the weekend next year will get Cardiff in gear to really push the event next year. This really should become a permanent feature of our season - this stadium is great for Rugby League!

Noddy contemplates "forced" move to England

Looks like Trent Barrett will be heading home one year early from his Retirement Fund stint at Wigan; pushing Brett "Noddy" Kimmorley out at Cronulla in the process. Noddy, now 31 years old, is scrambling around the NRL looking for a spot next year - if one is not forthcoming he'll be forced to look to England.

I'm sure there will be no lack of takers should Noddy want to come to England, Widnes have already made noises should they get a Super League license next year, but it flies in the face of the motive for stopping promotion and relegation - seeing more young local players coming through the ranks and playing at the top level.

I have no problem with Brett Kimmorley - he is a great player and his combination with Darren Lockyer for the Kangaroos invariably broke British hearts in Ashes tests. In fact I can remember rooting for him back in the Hunter Mariners days in a World Club Challenge game at Sheffield (yes you read it right; Hunter, Sheffield, World Challenge). And he won't be the only over the hill or second rate Aussie finding his way to Super League next year.

We wuz robbed!

Not posted for ages, and the last one was a blast at a ref! After watching the Quins at Wakefield though my dander is up!

But it has to be said that Steve Ganson's performance tonight in denying Harlequins the tries their ascendancy deserved allowed Wakefield to stay alive in the game.

We had him at the Stoop earlier this year and managed a victory despite him. But as a full time professional referee why did he not use the video ref when disallowing Mike Worrincy's superb try?

We'll just have to make the six against even more odds!!!

Penalty try?

Just when you think the standard of Super League referring can't get any lower - Silverwood as the video ref awards a Penalty Try to Leeds in their game yesterday at Bradford. Diskin was reaching out to ground the ball - he didn't look in command of the situation! - and Platt got his hands under the ball (as anyone would do to try and stop someone scoring). The ball ended up in Platt's hands - saying he stole the ball was stretching the situation to its limits as far as I could see. And would Diskin have DEFINITELY scored had he not given the ball to Platt?

Phil Clarke called it dead right during the commentary. If this is a precedent, all you'll need to do is let go of the ball once you're over the line and hey presto - 4 points and a kick straight in front of the posts.

If the ball was stolen, a penalty should have been awarded. But for me the ball was lost over the line and Bradford should have been given a 20m restart.