Wigan Warriors' Sean O'Loughlin on swapping playing in Grand Finals for coaching
Sean O'Loughlin knows only too well the fairy tale doesn’t always happen so he’s not fussed about wrecking former Wigan team-mate Sam Tomkins’ dreams.
Ex-Warriors and England captain O’Loughlin finds himself in an unusual position on Saturday when he enters a Super League Grand Final as an assistant coach. Normally, he’d be leading the Wigan side out as captain - and on four occasions he came back down the Old Trafford tunnel as a champion. Three times - in 2010, 2013 and 2018 - he enjoyed Super League glory with Tomkins, who plays the final game of his glorious career on Saturday hoping to inspire Catalans to a famous maiden championship.
So much of the narrative is around Tomkins, 34, bowing out a champion again but at the expense of his beloved Wigan where he made 213 appearances over two spells.
But two more of the Catalans team also played alongside O’Loughlin and Tomkins in the 2018 decider - winger Tom Davies and French prop Romain Navarette - while Dragons hooker Michael McIlorum was in Wigan colours in 2010 and 2013. O’Loughlin, 40, conceded: “There is that strong link, with some individuals who have been here.
“But a lot of time has passed. There’s only a handful of players left here who actually played with them. They’ve some ties there to the club but not necessarily personal ties to a lot of the players. Once you get to the finals, whether you’ve been at a few or not, you’re not focusing too much on the opposition. It’s about yourself. Catalans have a story where they want to get finished and be the first French team to win it.
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"Obviously Sam retiring is another big story. But they’ll not be too worried about us. And it’s the same for us: we’re not worried about Catalans’ story or Sam’s story. With my Wigan work hat on, it’s all about what we want to do.”
And O’Loughlin has certainly helped turn them into a slick machine as they bid to win the title for the first time in five years. The talismanic loose forward, who played more than 450 games for Wigan, didn’t get his dream send-off when losing the Grand Final against St Helens three years ago in a decidedly different scenario behind closed doors in Hull. He recalled: "My last two Grand Finals were so very different.
Wigan assistant coach Sean O'Loughlin taking a video session earlier this season (Vic Ashton/Wigan Warriors)“One atmosphere was unreal (in 2018) and the second flat as a pancake! I didn’t get the win before I retired. But experience-wise both were still up there. It was still a pleasure to be involved in a game that’ll go down in history. Now, as a coach, it’s about helping the lads get as prepped as possible so they can do something really special.”
But O'Loughlin knows how tough the opposition will be. Indeed, he has labelled Catalans chief Steve McNamara a “revolutionary” coach - ahead of plotting to ruin his big night. He played under the Dragons boss for five years when he was England head coach. McNamara made the iconic No13 his national captain when Kevin Sinfield retired from international rugby league in 2014. O'Loughlin conceded: “I’m a massive fan of Steve.
"I was there from the start to finish of his term for England. What he did for me and the team was revolutionary. The changes he made in the national side were great. He made it feel a lot more like a club environment. Prior to that it was very much a case of getting together at the end of the year, playing some Tests and then meeting up again at the end of the next season.
“But he got us together more often, made the environment and familiarity a lot better. He’s done a great job at Catalans as well. He’s transformed them. He’s made them a better playing side, turned them into a team who are a big threat both home and away. It will be a great game Saturday.”
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