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