Quote st="st"It all depends on how you look at the position loose forward - the modern loose forward especially in the NRL is just another second rower even Prop just look at Leeds with the likes of Ryan Bailey
Sean O'loughlin portrays a classic style what could be called Old School Loose forward these days, a player that has some decent ball skills and can punch it about in the forwards not just the latter like most are these days
So yes as a classic LF Sean is one of the best maybe even by default because they are few and far between - Id put Sam Burgess in that Category and would have had as clearly the best but obviously he has now gone
Like I said most teams just use it as another big forward these days so its the hardest position to clearly justify
Look at Paul Gallen Id say he has been a great player in recent years played mostly at Loose, but played PROP at state of Origin, O'Loughlin has played Stand Off in a Grand final - Yes both loose Forwards but so different. So hard to genuinely compare players for that position these days'"
I agree there has definitely being a change in the the LF role, if you look at Parker and Gallen they have both plaid most of there careers as LFs converting to props in the later stages of there careers and there is a lot of players playing prop/LF or Second Row/LF
Sam Burgess & Greg Eastwood then SBW & Tariq Sims all being examples
If you'd have asked me last year who was the best LF I would have said Sam Burgess, Corey Parker & Glen Stewart
Regardless of how you define a LF I would put all the below in front of O'Loughlin
Glen Stewart
Corey Parker
Paul Gallen
Sam Burgess (we are still on the 2014 season lol)
There are more players but I think it proves my point
I'm not sure I would want to say Tamoulolo as he hasn't played LF much this season though he is doing an amazing job for the Kiwis at the mo