Skipper Rob Purdham believes his Harlequins RL side are on the verge of something special after the Stoop’s longest servant put pen to paper on a new deal last week.

Purdham agreed a new contract that ties him to the London club until the end of 2011, which will mark his ten years with the club.

And the 29-year-old reckons Brian McDermott’s men are on the verge of joining the Super League big-boys.

Purdham said: “When I first came down here the club had a lot of young lads and quite a few players that were finishing their careers with a nice payday.

“But now the good young players are joining us and staying with us, and that is great for the club and great for the future of the club.

“The club had a lot of faith in me when they signed me in 2001, and it is nice to be able to repay that faith.

“I’m settled here in London now, and there really is no reason to leave.

“So when the club started talking about a new contract it really was a no-brainer for me.”

Purdham joins Chris Melling, David Howell and Chad Randall in committing his future to Harlequins, and the former Whitehaven man insists that can only be good news.

He added: “It is great as the longer the players are together the more you learn about them.

“You get continuity, you learn patterns and you can play off each other.

“When players keep moving on season after season you have to bring new guys in and the season is pretty much over before they get used to the systems.

“But we are building a strong unit here and things are really beginning to click.”

Purdham racked up his 150th appearance in London colours recently, capping a successful six months after proving one of the few bright lights in England’s under-performing 2008 World Cup side.

And with Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook recently being named in the 17-man England elite squad, Purdham is set on joining his Quins teammate.

He added: “Of course I am looking to make the squad - there is no bigger honour than representing your country.

“But it is all down to performances and I haven’t been totally happy with how I have played this season.

“But there is still plenty of time and I will really be looking to step things up in the second half of this campaign.”