Sean O'Loughlin's Ultimate Team: including Wigan Warriors, Hull FC ...

Sean O’Loughlin is one of the greatest players in Wigan Warriors’ illustrious history after a stellar 19-year career at his hometown club.

The legendary former Wigan captain 42, played 459 games for the Cherry and Whites and won 10 major honours before retiring at the end of 2020.

The ex-England skipper now serves as assistant coach to head coach Matt Peet and is responsible largely for the Warriors’ defence.

And in partnership with eToro, the trading and investing platform with over 35 million users, O’Loughlin is the next guest on My Ultimate Team, a regular feature on Love Rugby League…

1. Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors and England)

I’d probably have to go with Sam, but I must mention Rads (Kris Radlinski) and I played with Bev (Bevan French) in my final year as well.

Rads was the best full-back in the game during his time and look at Bevan now – he’s absolutely unbelievable, albeit at stand-off.

But Sam gets the nod because of the success that we had as a team and he was such a brilliant attacking threat.

2. Ryan Hall (England)

There have been a few good wingers here at Wigan such as Charners (Josh Charnley) and Dom Manfredi but I’m going with Ryan Hall.

He has been very good for a very long time and is England’s record try-scorer. Ryan is a big guy but has never lost his tryscoring instinct and always does it in big games.

I always enjoyed playing with him and some lads don’t always step up and compete at Test level but Hally certainly did. He’s got better as he’s got older and it’s interesting to see he’s back at Leeds – I think he will thrive and prove a big loss to Hull KR.

3. Martin Gleeson (Wigan Warriors and Great Britain)

I played with Gleese at international level and then here at Wigan when we got success again in 2010 when winning the Grand Final. He was a class act, had a great sidestep, and knew how to give his winger a walk-in try.

I’m pleased to see Martin doing well in coaching now as well at Warrington Wolves.

4. George Carmont (Wigan Warriors)

I would partner George and Pat Richards up together as a centre and wing combo. I’m very good friends with both of them and, when we signed George, no-one over here really knew who he was.

But he was a silky centre under Michael Maguire and very underestimated.

I think he came onto the scene late in the NRL and defensively he was rock-solid, nailed his one-on-ones, and put his winger away loads.

5. Pat Richards (Wigan Warriors)

We were close during our time together at Wigan because he had kids at a similar time to me and our other halves got on very well together.

He was over last Christmas and we swap messages regularly but I have not included him just because he was a mate of mine.

Pat was an unbelievable winger and everything you want as an overseas signing – he bought into the town straight away and enjoyed his time here.

6. Trent Barrett (Wigan Warriors)

I know some people might expect to see Bevan here at stand-off but I only played with him for one season and he was playing full-back then. Trent is my six because he was a massive name when he came to us from Australia and I had watched him play.

He left by the time we won the Super League title in 2010 – he didn’t win anything during his time with us – but I had been captain for a couple of years when he came in.

To learn from someone like Trent, someone who had played at every level, was great for me in my development.

7. Thomas Leuluai (Wigan Warriors)

Tommy could bang you and hit people, but do not underestimate how good a player he was.

His actual game-management and skill was up there with one of the best players I’ve played with. He could send people into space, put defences under pressure, and carry strongly too.

Now I’m working with him on the coaching staff at Wigan and he’s a top bloke with a very astute rugby brain. We have a great relationship.

8. Adrian Morley (Great Britain and England)

I played with some great props at Wigan like Stuart Fielden and Andy Coley plus Jammer (James Graham) at international level.

But I have to include Moz because him and Jamie Peacock were the main men when I first started playing international rugby league. Moz had no fear, whoever we were playing, and would just got at it.

He had a great reputation in Australia as well, having won the NRL title with Sydney Roosters.

9. Michael McIlorum (Wigan Warriors and England)

I obviously played with James Roby for many years at international level and he was unbelievable but I’m going to go with Micky.

He’s just one of those blokes you would go to war with because you knew he would do anything for you. People probably underestimate how good Micky’s game was as well because he was so confrontational.

But he was very smart and I very much enjoyed playing with him – good luck to him at Hull KR this season.

10. Jamie Peacock (Great Britain and England)

Like Moz, JP was not just a tough front-rower but a very good player as well. The fact him and Moz loved playing for England, I think, rubbed off on a lot of the younger lads.

What he achieved at Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos was pretty remarkable really – nine Grand Final wins says it all. A true legend of the game.

11. Gareth Ellis (Great Britain and England)

I played with some great back-rowers like Gareth Hock, Ben Westwood and Joel Tomkins. Hock in his pomp was unbelievable but I’m going for Gaz Ellis because he’s another lad who went to Australia and smashed it.

I think he won player of the year every season he was at Wests Tigers and he was a great team-mate at international level.

12. Sam Burgess (Great Britain and England)

This team has been so hard to choose and I might upset a few people off by not selecting them! But I can’t not pick Sam, can I?

Everyone knows how good he was from an early age and what he achieved over in the NRL at Souths.

An unbelievable competitor with so much ability.

13. Andy Farrell (Wigan Warriors)

As a young lad supporting Wigan, I probably didn’t see a lot of Ellery Hanley as it was the back end of his career and then I watched Phil Clarke.

Whilst I was playing the game as a kid, Andrew had moved into that first-choice No 13 role then and I started to look up to him. I liked that position because you could choose how you wanted to play it.

There was a bit of variety – you could play as a half or a front-rower – but Andrew was definitely was someone I learned a lot from and then effectively succeeded at Wigan.

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