Has to be a shoe in for England, using game time against lesser nations to get his fitness back. Would be top notch in NRL as he is over here. Down side is that he is injured again at play off time. In the last few years he seemed to shake off his injuries.

According to stats he's played 15 times for Wigan in league. To me he shouldn't be in the shortlist for man of Steel. If he was made of Steel he wouldn't have missed as many games. But he's a quality player though.

Highly.

Selassie.

All true.

I don't think he is anything higher than above average. Vastly vastly over rated player. Doubt he would even have a got a dig without Farrells influence at the start.

If he is best 13 then it show a distinct lack of alternatives. Sinfield by an absolute mile IMO.

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?