Why on earth are you a member of this forum if when you disagree with a comment on a player you resort to posting a rehash of the coach is always right nonsense?

You seemingly take it personally if someone doesn't think the sun shines out of Lockers back side and resort to accusations of arrogance.

And BTW he's not the captain. He's part of the leadership of team of 5 and others such as Coley have already captained the side this season. Though why I bother to point this out I don't know given you already know it but post the opposite.

Dave

Sinfield works particularly well with a half back partnership where both are off-the-cuff type players, leaving him to organise. Thats why he's so good with leeds because DM and RB are both brilliant runners and feed off sinfields organising, like england did to an extent. He's effectively a 6 but without a running game.

And you really need to give this a rest.

Dave

Whilst I acknowledge that Kevin Sinfield is a brilliant player, Sean O'loughlin is far more creative than him and it is that what sets the two apart for me. Four try assists last week. 7 overall, which is the highest rate in the league (joint top with Sam and Brough). For a loose forward that is a fantastic effort. He has done this IMO since he has been with us. Obviously he has improved gradually over the years, but I think his work in attack, as well as defence, is getting noticed more now he is in a better team. Check his stats over the last few years and it backs this theory up.

Sean was in absolutely outstanding form prior to his injury last season.

Whilst Dave O has been unfairly attacked in recent days, suggesting Lockers is playing more creatively because he is no longer captain is just untenable really. Its disappointing to see Lockers knocker sentiment still surfacing on this board and disappointing that such an intelligent poster as Dave O should be indulging in this very unfair and incorrect criticism of one of the finest players to play for this club in the modern era (who, were in not for his misfortune in following in the footsteps of Hanley and Farrell, two of the greatest players and captains in RL history, would already be hailed as one of the greatest to ever play for the club).

If Lockers is playing any more creatively this season than last its surely because the burden is being shared out more evenly than previously amongst the forwards - Lockers has always given 100% for the club and has often picked up the slack when less committed players have failed to put the effort in. Not because he is no longer captain!!

I think the multiple captains experiment is working; it doesn't mean though that Lockers is a rubbish captain (he is after all still going to be captaining the team at various points this season!!!!!!) or plays better if he isn't captain. Are the knockers suggesting that Lockers will play worse when he is captain this season? Its unbelievable that Wigan fans will still find ways to have a pop at Lockers. I'm sorry Dave but you need to retract this comment.

Lockers is the best LF in the country, if he isn't the best forward then I'd like to know who is, because they must be having an incredible season to be better than Lockers on his current form, he is so consistent it is untrue.

Sean is Wigan through and through. He understands what the cherry and white means. He is exactly the sort of player that MM and SW want in the side. Wigan fans should be proud to have him in their team and should support him rather than trying to find ways to undermine him.

If he continues in his current form and can avoid injury he will be a very strong contender indeed for the MoS.

beltin post that is

If you look back over the posts I have made about Lockers and the captaincy over the years since Millward appointed him to the post you will see I said right from the beginning I thought the responsibility would not be good for his game. I have posted in the past I thought his game would improve without the captaincy. It may be a factor, it may not but being captain certainly affects players. I don't see this as some sort of silly suggestion. It could very well be a factor IMO. Alas the response to my suggestion was as OTT as some others elsewhere but it's getting to be par for course of offering a different opinion at the moment.



How is suggesting him not having the captaincy being a reason his game has improved considered so impossible?



I'm not undermining him I am just offering an opinion as to why his game has improved. I think it's likely to be down tot he new coach and all he brings to the table and one of those things is him taking the captaincy off Lockers as sole captain. IMHO of course.

Dave

I think its a fair point to say that Lockers creative game has improved as if someone has taken the shackles off. Whether his game was being limited by his role as captain or by the role he was being given by Nobby who knows, but either could be true and I can't really see any issue in suggesting them on a public forum. I don't for one second think that Lockers would be offended by hearing reasons why his game has improved, I think he'll be pleased that it has. Personally judging from the comments by Amos Roberts about how his role has changed for the better I'd say that having a new coach has helped more than losing the captaincy but as any scientist will know its impossible to do a fair test whilst changing two variables

Because a lot of people don't think he has significantly improved, they know he's been that good and shown it in many ways, for the past 2/3 seasons?

He made 11 assists last season, so far this season he has made 7, his missed tackles, errors and penalties have also reduced. His role has clearly changed but whether he has improved or not is clearly down to personal opinion. Saying someone has improved does not necessarily have to be a criticism of how they were previously playing.

Well I think he's improved and I don't think I am the only one. Several of our players have improved to varying degrees some more than others. He is IMO just one of them. Lockers is IMO playing very differently on attack and has tried more things so far this season than he has done in the last three seasons.

Dave

The reason people sometimes respond badly to your posts is because you use every opportunity to try to reinforce your personal hobby horse. O'Loughlin's form was outstanding last season whilst he was capatain. It has remained so, or arguably been even better this, again, whether he has been captain or not. Other players have improved and your reason is almost exclusively the change in coaching. O'Loughlin improves and, according to you, it's because he's had the captaincy taken off him (which in any case he hasn't and, in addition, he has played as Captain twice already this season with no adverse affect on his game). Now I know you're a smart guy Dave. You must see that you can't argue to convenience without people picking up on it! It's like saying "They've changed the pie suppliers at the DW this season and the team suddenly starts playing well, therefore that's obviously the reason!" Leave your opinions open to criticism and they'll be criticised. Now the fact is, having shared responsiblility may be having some affect on his game. However, evidence suggests that it's a relatively minor one, if at all. The real reason is more likely to be exactly the same one as you have given for the improvements in other players, i'e' a better coaching set up and a team playing with more clearly defined game plans and increased team spirit!

See post above.

Dave, no one is arguing that the team is playing better and as both a cause and consequence the individuals in it. It's the reasons you give in O'Loughlin's case that is the sticking point. I notice you haven't correlated it to Micky Higham leaving.....

Well I think he's playing just as well as he always has done in the past 2/3 seasons & I don't think I'm the only one either.

I said he was the best 13 in the league 3 years ago, he has been the best 13 in the league for the past 3 years and he still is now.