When he has been on the pitch this season he has impressed me. However I dont think he should be in the starting 13 for England, he may sneak a bench spot.

This.

Played ONCE in SL since the Magic weekend (May 26) and yet nominated for Man of Steel ? Go figure.

I think he's decent but again over-rated also Kirmond should be on that short-list instead of him.

You could argue Wigan have been poor (losing 7 games) since the Magic Weekend and perhaps that isn't a coincidence

But I agree, being out injured for the half the season doesn't exactly scream 'man of steel'!

good point

I think he has matured into a fantastic all round player these days and he is probably more important to Wigan than Tomkins.Its a shame he seems to keep picking up injuries.

Half a seasons work and gets on the shortlist, no doubt William Eve will be having a right old tug at that prospect.

Have to say its a joke he is on the short list.Higham and Kirmond are two names that straight away spring to mind who should be ahead of him.

Couldn't agree more... O'Loughlin is alright. He's not great, he's not a 13, he's not crap, he's just alright and Wigan struggle to function properly without him. This is also my view of Sinfield... he's alright, he's not great, he's not a 13, he's not a 6, he's not crap but Leeds struggle to function properly without him.

Both players are better than most in SL in a competition which is alright on some occasions but dire most of the time. O'Loughlin and Sinfield are an encapsulation of the very best the SL product has to offer, and for most fans that's deemed more than alright.


You are wise to be wary of this sudden shift of opinion. My view? O'Loughlin is no longer a threat to an agenda which idolises Sinfield as an all time great (even though he's just alright), particularly since Sinfield has now been awarded the Golden Boot and best player in the world in 2012.

O'Loughlin has performed to a better and higher standard than Sinfield in internationals but he's never been anything more than alright at that level. Sinfield OTOH has been dire in internationals and has rarely approached an alright performance at that level. Domestically, I believe Sinfield's level of alrightness is marginally better and more influential for his club than O'Loughlin's level of alrightness at his club..

Is that alright?

It's says a lot for the standard of loose forwards in the country if he is considered the best, or the fact that loose is a dying trade and just another workhorse or prop in that position. There has not been a good 13 on the world stage I merge in the last 10-12 years.
Higham and kirmond both should have been short listed before him.

below average, even for you

In his early days I thought he was average. He's got better with age but also also been very injury prone. Shows the degree that he is over rated that he makes the man of steel shortlist after so few games.

Doesn't have as many facets to his game as Sinfield but what he does, he does very well. His aggressive style is probably more suited to international rugby.

Needs a prolonged spell without any injuries to be considered "great".

I see the "not a 13" or "not a 6" brigade out in force again.

O' Loughlin is a running, tackling back-rower - a job he does really well.

He's not going to cut you open with a devastating pass or kick, but that's not his game to do so.

He's a grafter, and every team needs one. Not entirely convinced that makes him MoS material mind.

It always surprises me the number of people in RL who judge a player by a certain set of skills decided by the number on his back rather than what they contribute to the team.