Harlequins RL head coach Brian McDermott has warned his players they must ditch their perennial underdogs tag to become pedigree Super League performers this year, writes Stuart Amos.

Quins blew a solid start to last season as a succession of injuries saw them relinquish a top-six finish in the second half of the campaign.

And McDermott, who is yet to replace departed GB international Paul Sykes, believes the young guns blooded in 2007 must raise their game to break into the play-offs.

"We have got to move on from being that young kid that everyone feels sorry for. We want to bloody someone's nose before they bloody ours," he said.

"We must make sure other teams are coming from behind against us on a consistent basis. We have proved we can beat the top teams, but we have got to do it more often."

McDermott has tipped star men Rob Purdham, Mark McLinden, Danny Orr, Henry Paul and Scott Hill to show their class this term.

But he expects more from his squad players as they prepare to face Wigan Warriors on Saturday.

"Our star men can only do so much. People like Jon Grayshon, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Rikki Sheriffe have to play well," he added.

"It is not just about holding their own now. They have got to make their own tackles and then some."