Pretty much, actually I think Powell is doing better. He has less to work with.

And therein lies the real problem. Year on year, there is less to work with.



I believe the RL's powers that be have two choices; they either decide that they want a top-flight team in the Capital and either back it financially or find someone else to back it financially, or they just terminate the Club at the licence announcement.



It sounds harsh, but I seriously don't think that seeing a poor team watched by poor crowds does the sport any favours. I speak as someone who went through those days at Crystal Palace, Chiswick etc buoyed by the hope that if we were in the top division and sufficiently funded to be competing for honours then it would be to the benefit of the sport as a whole. Unfortunately watching this club go through a slow decline makes me less optimistic now than I was then.



I'd like to emphasise that I don't mean this as critical in any way of anyone connected with club, it's just too big a job.

....may as well pack up then.





I have read more defeatist drivel on these boards recently than I would normally find on the bulls forum.

London RL has recieved about $16,000,000 in SKY TV money since SL started......another $8,000,000 in ticket sales and probably another $8,000,000 in residual revenue.......and has spent less money on Marketing than my wife spends on shoes.



It isn't the stoop.

It isn't the Harlequins Union tie in

It isn't because the team are cack at the moment

It isn't any of the other billion excuses rolled out.......



$32,000,000 + whatever various owners threw at them........and less than 1% of that spent on marketing I'd guess......

Yes, throwing a shed load of money at marketing might just persuade a load of people to come in. What happens then is that they see a team that is cack, then tell their friends how cack it so so that they don't make the same mistake.



The point is that somehow enough money needs to be put into a team that people might actually want to watch, playing attractive and successful rugby league that people will want to watch. Then you market it.

I believe my first rant about the lack of marketing was on here was in 2003.......we made the play-offs that year and again in 2005. Not ripping up trees, but a successful team all the same.



As friggin usual with the club, they rolled up to the Stoop in 2006 with expectations of full houses for little or no marketing spend........NOW, 6 seasons later we are faced with a drab boring team, falling crowds and little prospect of it getting any better....I have no crystal ball, but I do have a list of clients since 1999 (I think that's when I First pitched to the club...they were at the stoop and the Marketing person was a South African Lady) who will all tell you that I do what I say I will...........or bust a gut trying. I wasn't even a fan in 1999....but I could see the potential.....but alas, there was "no marketing" budget....at all





But hey, because I bang on and on and on and on about it.....I must be a bitter nutter who resents being shunned by the club. Maybe I am, but I wouldn't swap where I am now for where the club are now......

At least you have entusiasm.



The point is product awareness. The product being Quins RL. How many times have we heard "I didn't know..."? Product awareness is generated by marketing.



I think you'll find a lot of people support a club not because the team is successful but they want to a sense of belonging and to be able to indentify with something other than what they have already.

Slight edit in first part, spot on with your second.

Thanks...now I know why I set my alarm clock for 3am at weekends to fight with the BBC on-line radio service and Kiwi's version of ulta-fast broadband to listen to the regular massacres

I know this will get shot down, and maybe deservedly so but what about Shaun McRae as Football adviser, a technical consultant or just a few days a week sounding board for Powell and Tawhai.



McRae seemed to be in good spirits on the SOO coverage with Brian Carney and Jon Wells. I know things may have ended badly with Salford but McRae has been on the coaching staff of Australia, NZ, GB, NSW and Canberra as well as having the top jobs at St Helens, Gateshead, Hull and South Sydney.



Lots of coaches seem to want to keep links to the game and a consultation role with Quins could allow him to do any media work he may wish to do. And if it's a question of cost, I see the Skolars can afford one, hopefully our budget is a little larger than theirs.

The idea of a consultant/adviser coming in is not a bad one, but i am not sure tha McRae is the answer - he doesn't strike me as a guy who would turn things around really.



One thing i have started to think however (and this could be something that the Broncos could implement under Powell) is as follows.

-Modern Rugby League is, in my opinion an increasingly simple game. This isn't a good thing, but could work in favour of a team like Quins.

-I honestly feel that athleticisim, power and strength are attributes that take teams ahead of others. Warrington demolished Leeds at Headingley tonight, and a comment on southstander tonight refers to Wire as 'too big, to fast, too enthusiastic'. In short, they were not necessarily better Rugby League players.

-I feel that a well drilled team of excellent athletes marshalled by 1 (or better 2) skillful experienced pivot men should be enough to compete in the SuperLeague.

-SO... if Broncos were able to concentrate on signing a 'certain type' of player (big, fast, athletic but perhaps technically a bit limited) they could get players with those attributes relatively inexpensively.

- Many SuperLeague sides lack size and physicality in their backline - a mixture of guys with real pace (Riley etc) or real size (a motivated K Pryce etc) would imo get you past a lot of these teams.

- A relatively inexperienced coach such as yours could then play a very limited game plan, but using 17 very fit, athletic players within those limitations. Emphasis on winning collisions on both attack and D, set completion, good kick chases and an aggressive, bullying defensive line. None of this is rocket science.

- Strength and conditioning should be priority number 1 - your access to the union club resources could surely be exploited here. (piggybacking training staff, gym facilities, supplement sponsors etc where possible)



For a club of really limited resources like the Broncos, that would be my strategy. A good mate of mine played for your academy alongside L Bryan, Clubb etc etc. He has told me that Michael Worrincy was by far the most athletic player he has ever come across. The guy was ridiculed at Bradford, but obviously some people can see his attributes. I'm not saying re sign him specifically, but players like him would be the sort of players i would target.



Any thoughts?

Who are these Broncos you speak of?

i always think of harlequins as the Broncos. Apologies if this offends you - it was only meant affectionately. It was the name your team played under when they were good, and had fans.