Reds captain Daniel Herbert has backed under fire Queensland coach Mark McBain after the team narrowly missed the Super 12 semi-finals at the weekend.

After making the semis last season, the Reds won one more game this season, with their seven victories leaving them just one short of the playoffs, but Herbert says McBain has performed well in his role during the last two seasons.

"We often get criticised as a team from down south so that is nothing new for us," Herbert said. "In his first year he made the semis and in the second year he has won more games and only just missed out.

"That's not a bad record for a coach new to the provincial level. He would definitely have the support of players. But it's not the players' call. We don't run the Queensland Rugby Union and we would deal with whatever came our way."

A QRU panel that includes new CEO Jeff Miller is tipped to reveal in early June whether McBain will be retained, but would be considered unlucky to be sacked, especially considering there are few candidates around to replace him.

McBain is also said to have vastly improved the harmony in the team in the last 12 months, to the point that forward Mark Connors is no longer chasing a European contract after wanting out this time last year.

"Mark was really trying to do both jobs last season - and that's made a difference for us," Herbert said. "He's certainly more comfortable this season and we certainly improved throughout the season and we were playing a more attacking style.

"In some ways we made a lot of improvements on last year even though we didn't make the semis this time. We won seven games instead of six and we scored more tries.

"But the competition was hot and there was a split between the top six and the bottom six for the first real time in Super 12."