Quote: FearTheVee "If your attacking game can't function without one injury prone back rower, I'd say that your issues are bigger than I had thought.'"
To dismiss O'Loughlin as "one injury prone back rower" is a bit silly.
Along with probably James Roby, he is the best player in Super League. Any team would miss that sort of quality.
We have struggled to replace Sam Tomkins and now we have lost Blake Green. The team is of course, adjusting to life without two of our three creative influences from the double season. Losing Lockers this early in the season makes that transition harder.
I'm not sure why teams aren't expected to struggle when their best player is out injured. I mean, if we didn't struggle, no doubt you'd similarly dismiss him by saying "he's not that good, you can play without him!"
As has been noted elsewhere O'Loughlin is probably three players in one, such is his influence on the team.