DaveO wrote:
I am not surprised Hoffman said that. Some players just rise to the challenge of a higher level of competition and although Lockers has had his international appearances curtailed by injury in the past whenever he has played he has looked fantastic and a cut above certain other players with a reputation in particular Sinfield. Sinfield is a great SL player and club man but he isn't international standard and never has been. It is late in the day for Lockers but I am glad he has the honour of captaining England. He deserves it.
Very true Dave. I think it's also very rare, even in world terms, to find a player that essentially has it all and I think this is what stands out to the Aussies. Most players, no matter how good, have weaknesses but this is not the case with O'Loughlin. He's as effective doing the basics as he is, say, putting in a 30 yard cut out pass on the run and that is more unusual than you would think. Even many world class players aren't able to do this. Sam Tomkins was mentioned earlier in this thread and though he's undoubtedly capable of moments of genius, he's equally capable of making the wrong decision or looking shaky in defence for example. Even someone rightly regarded as one of the best players in the world (and no.3 on this list) Sam Burgess doesn't have the best passing game and a pretty much non existent kicking game. That's not to say that both these players don't do what they do to a remarkable level. I just use these examples to illustrate how unusual it is to be the 'complete package'.
