Harlequins RL winger Matt Gafa has urged his team-mates to work on their midfield defence after Wigan Warriors dominated the final quarter of Saturday's 47-28 defeat in the opening round of the new Super League season.

Quins had led 28-16 on the hour before the visitors ran in five unanswered tries to claim the spoils.

Head coach Brian McDermott claimed his side had defended heroically at times on their own line as well as on Wigan's.

But 29-year-old Gafa, who bagged two tries, believes Quins must make it more difficult for teams to gain yards in the middle of the pitch.

"We can take plenty of confidence out of it. There were positives, but there was some negatives as well," he said.

"We need to really look at our ruck defence and there are a few things we can work on.

"It is hard to play the perfect game.

"Second half, we absolutely battered them on their line, they coughed up the ball and we scored a couple of tries, but then they would go 60 or 70 yards in a set of six.

"You can't point the finger. I wish we could just batter them all the time.

"Every team has got good players and they put some plays on us around the ruck.

"No one out there ever switches off.

"No one ever gives up and everyone is trying their hardest. It can look like we switch off, but it isn't like that at all."

And Gafa admits his side must be on top of their game if they are to overcome Hull FC at the KC Stadium on Sunday.

"They have got such good depth. They have a few injury problems, but the 17 blokes they put on the paddock can do a good job for them," he added.

"We are going to have to improve on today's effort, but I hope the fans don't turn their backs on us just because we didn't get the result."