He is very average and a head hunter
Hardly a great combo.
If he is missed then England are in bigger trouble than I thought.

Your first point answers itself. Your second point is nonsense - I've seen as much RL as virtually anyone on these boards (although admittedly only ever played it at a very lowly second-team grade amateur level ) and understand it as well as most.

Whilst you are entitled to your opinion, the fact that he is the only British player currently playing who has won a man of the series at International level rather disproves your theory.

O'Loughlin is the best we have for a 13 at International level.
Trouble is our player pool is too small hence we bring in foreign born players.
Lockers out and on here it's Heighington.
Widdop may play or may not, if not then Chase will come in.
At least Reed and Widdop were born here.

One out of the back door for selection in the pack, Gareth Hock.
If brought into the squad will have to sit out one game due to the ban.
He's big, powerful, pacey, skillful and physical enough to take on the Aussies.
If he was selected he'd be the most skillful player in the pack.
Anyone with any thoughts on the possible selection of Gaz Hock?

OR they just dont rate him as highly as you..... and probably see sinfield as a better 13 anyway.

I thought when he returned from his lengthy ban, Hock could be a bolter for the England team in the 4N’s – for exactly the reasons you state, he is big, strong, a good runner and skilful

But even before his latest ban, I don’t think he did enough to earn a call up – he showed glimpses of good form but for me his defence was quite a bit away from where it should have been. I think he would have been shown up internationally this Autumn. That’s not to suggest he wouldn’t be worth a shout at the end of a full SL season (if he manages to stay away from the beaks)

p.s. agree that O’Loughlin is the best option we have at 13 – he is very well suited to play internationally where he has more size and strength than Sinfield etc but he has been very unlucky with the timings of injury and not has a chance to demonstrate this as much as we would have hoped

We have a coach who is a politician, tries to please everyone, he won't bring him in.

O'Loughlin has his faults but we will miss him because he is another leader on the field and you can never have enough of them when you're playing against the world's best.

Hock isn't good enough, isn't fit enough and has no form.

Other than that and his attitude, appearance and level of intelligence, he's perfect.

All true, if understated to an infinite degree.

Convoluted? No, not at all quite straight forward! You can't make your mind up if the England coach's opinions are valid or not. Or perhaps they are only valid when they suit your argument, and not when they don't.

Wonderful attempts at misinterpreting my point. You talk as if fans have always accepted the national coach's team selections as impeccable! I do not believe that O'Loughlin is the best English No 13. I do believe that Kevin Sinfield is a far superior player. I don't think I'm the only one with this view.

No you aren't the only one with this view. There are plenty other posters who's hatred for all things Wigan, distorts what little understanding of RL they have. Anyone who thinks that O'Loughlin missing the series isn't a bad loss must be nuts.

Your inferiority complex is showing. I have no hatred of Wigan - for instance I have no query with Sam Tomkins being selected for England and even agree that Joel is in with a shout for a spot in the forwards. I don't even 'hate' O'Loughlin - simply consider him a far more ordinary a player than do Wiganers.