Assistant Sean O’Loughlin pays ultimate compliment to Wigan Warriors star with area of game highlighted

Discuss all things Wigan Warriors. Comments and opinions on all aspects of the club's performance are welcome.
Post Reply
josie andrews
Posts: 37804
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2007 10:17 pm
Location: Wigan
Contact:

Assistant Sean O’Loughlin pays ultimate compliment to Wigan Warriors star with area of game highlighted

Post by josie andrews »

Wigan Warriors assistant coach Sean O’Loughlin has hailed the importance of Jai Field’s defensive abilities across the club’s recent success - believing the Aussie is the best in the competition for his organisational skills.

The Warriors did not concede a single try in their last four games of the 2024 season on their route to Super League glory, completing a historic Grand Slam.

It also recorded back-to-back visits to Old Trafford without conceding a four-pointer, while it was the only time Hull KR hadn’t crossed the whitewash all season, denying stars such as Mikey Lewis and Ryan Hall last October.

While there are 12 in the first line of defence, it’s the Cherry and Whites’ star full-back who impressed former captain and current assistant O’Loughlin across the successes of the 2024 campaign.

One of the 27-year-old’s highlights of the year included several monumental try-saving efforts in the World Club Challenge victory over Penrith Panthers in February, denying Taylan May late on in the bruising encounter at the Brick Community Stadium.

Across the last two seasons, Wigan have accumulated the best points difference on the table.

“I think me and Tommy [Leuluai] understand, you can’t just go after one of them [attack or defence]. You can’t pump all your eggs into doing one thing well. We have to give and take on it all, how we practise, how we work on it and what we invest in,” O’Loughlin told Wigan Today.

“Ultimately, you need the lads to buy into it and we’ve got a group that understands that

They love the attacking flair, players who can score from anywhere, but those lads love to defend as well. Jai for example, he gets loads of wraps for the way he attacks but the way he organises our line whenever anybody gets near it, he’s probably the best in Super League in my eyes for the way he can organise us defensively.

“He doesn’t always get the wraps on his defensive side of things, but he’s been doing a good job for us these last few years. The fact he values it too, he likes teams being turned away at our line without scoring.”

In an unprecedented season of trophies, Kaide Ellis was another stand-out performer in the iconic number 13 shirt, donned by many Warriors club legends over the years, including O’Loughlin.

The 28-year-old became the first non-British player of the Super League era to receive the famous jersey at the club ahead of 2024, and recently reported back to Robin Park in the new year in preparations for the forthcoming title-defending season.

“Even when he first came in at prop, we always recognised that he had good hands as well,” said O’Loughlin.

“He played 13 a lot as a junior, so he knows the role well. Again, he’s somebody who has a really good balance in his game, defensively and attacking. That role as 13, you can very easily tip one way or the other. Finding that sweet spot as a 13 is quite important and I think he does that very well.”

Australian-based players, except for Abbas Miski, recently returned to England with the pre-season schedule ahead, while the club will also undertake an overseas training camp in Tenerife following the friendly against Leeds Rhinos later this month.


https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... ed-4941999
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
Post Reply