Keep on run-in

Luke Dorn looks ahead to four crucial fixtures and praises two fellow Aussies who've had contrasting weeks.

As King reigns in the cup, Quins are faced with a make-or-break run-in

This week has been a stern one at Harlequins. After the disappointing home loss to Bradford coach Brian McDermott has pretty much put it all on the line. We could have done with another victory over the Bulls but it wasn't to be. I just don't think we were up for it as much as they were, and if I knew the reason why that was the case then I don't think we'd lose again all year. As I've said before, if we don't make the play-offs it will be a very big disappointment. We've now got to battle out of this slump and give ourselves the best possible chance. The run-in sees us host Salford and Castleford while we travel to take on Hull FC and Warrington. Ideally we'd like to win all four games, and that should get us over the line, though I'm not sure what the fixtures are like for the other teams hoping to make it into the top eight. Our attempts to try and qualify will have to be done without the services of David Howell, after he was ruled out for the rest of the season through injury. A clash of heads in training him with about nine stitches in his lip, a fractured eye socket and a shattered cheekbone. I can honestly say I've never seen someone lose so much blood. Losing David is a massive loss for us at such a crucial time of the year; I think he's been one of the best centres in the competition this season. We know it's still just about in our hands to reach the play-offs. But the beauty of Super League this season has been that there are no certainties any more. There's some very good teams sitting around us in the table and one or two are going to have to miss out. Once you're in, anything can happen. Results this year have proven that upsets are possible, particularly if the underdog has some momentum. Wigan, who are currently in fifth spot, have lost just one more game than 10th-placed Les Catalans. This is exactly what was wanted with the change to the structure of the competition and a few years down the line I think it will get even closer between the top and the bottom. We are already starting to see a difference with the movement of players - Sean Long and Lee Gilmour will be leaving St Helens at the end of the current campaign - so the talent pool will be stretched out over a wider range of clubs.

King reigns

The fact we were playing on Saturday afternoon meant I was unable to watch the first Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final between Wigan and Warrington. I've spoken to Matt King since the game and he said how good the atmosphere was at the Stobart Stadium in Widnes. The only thing he has found frustrating is that after such a momentous result the Wolves now have to wait a few weeks for the Wembley final. Australian players are used to going straight from a semi-final to a final. Kingy was one of the heroes for Warrington with a hat-trick. In recent months he's definitely freed up his play and has gone back to the style that served him so well in the NRL. He's a big, strong hard-running centre who can get up in the air and can score plenty of tries. When the final does eventually come around it should be a good game. Huddersfield, who stunned St Helens on Sunday, have been phenomenal defensively this year but Warrington have the capability to put three or four tries on you in a hurry. I guess who is up for it on the day will decide who takes home the silverware.