I know what you mean, but standards have declined massively over the last decade... and the judging of the MOS has been ridiculous at times... the Slug has been MOS... a substitute won it ahead of Barrett...



He is the best in class. The fact that the class is underperforming isn't his fault.Lockers would be a deserved winner of this award IMO if he can keep up this level of performance. Maybe with some better players around him he could get closer to the standards of the Wigan legends whose boots he is trying to fill.

?



Which of the above do you NOT consider a better player at 13 than Locky?



I am intrigued.





The point of my post is that SL has dumbed down to such an extent that some people hail Locky as a "class" player. To me he is average.





Anyway back to my question.



Which 2 do you think are worse 13's than Locky.



Please don't say Bell and Goodway as I will laugh myself to sleep.

Think i clearly stated Cassidy and Barrie Jon Mathers in my opinion both backrow forwards were worse players than Locky. I would suggest if these 2 players were able to play first team rugby in 94 in the backrow so would Locky, hence he would not be "lucky" to play in the reserves as you stated.

Personally I would rather have Cassidy than Lockers.



BJM ...........hardly a regular at 13 was he?





OK R-TARD my patience is exhausted with you. You are an idiot.





1. Henry Paul (1 try)

2. Jason Robinson (2 tries)

3. Va'aiga Tuigamala (1 try)

4. Gary Connolly

5. Martin Offiah

6. Frano Botica (5 goals)

7. Shaun Edwards (c)

8. Kelvin Skerrett

9. Martin Hall (1 try)

10. Neil Cowie

11. Denis Betts

12. Mick Cassidy

13. Phil Clarke



* Andy Farrell

* Paul Atcheson







Tell me exactly how Lockers would get close to that team?





No answer?



I thought not.



Now go away you irritating little person.

Mate for such a great debater you do not half get wound up when you make silly statements, and even resort to replying for me!



You said Locky would be lucky to play reserve rugby.



I highlighted 2 players in Mathers and Cassidy who played first team rugby in the backrow in 94 who most sensible posters without an anti Locky agenda as they have been shown up after years of slating him, would not rate as highly as Locky. As these lads played first team in 94 in the secondrow how would Locky "be lucky to play in the reserves?" genuine question.



Can i expect an answer without the keyboard warrior response or shall i just await the usual straw clutching abuse of my spelling? Either way hardly traits of one who considers himself such a great debater.

Put Cassidy in this side now and he'd look nothing but average.



He did a job in a great team but O'Loughlin would have done that job and much much more besides.



A far better player.

Ok so you would have Lockers over Cassidy.





.....................fine.



I can only assume you were too young to appreciate Cassidy.





But hey, it's a free country. You are entitled to your opinon.

I think most would. I think you are perhaps too bound by your agenda against Locky to appreciate him.



Do you stand by the statement that Locky would be lucky to play reserve rugby 15 years ago?

I'm a big supporter of Lockers. I feel very sorry for the guy. He's wearing a shirt that two of the greatest players in modern RL have worn, the incomparable Hanley and the man who carried our entire team for a decade, Andy Farrell.



My view is that Lockers isn't up to the standard of Hanley or Farrell. That's not much of a criticism. Since Jason Robinson left for RU only KFC (when fit) has been able to play at a similar level to those two. Hanley and Farrell are immense figures in RL terms. Talk about massive boots to fill. When you factor in the other great players that have played LF for Wigan in the modern era, e.g. Goodway and Clarke, and the awesome legends that have been club captain - leaders like Edwards and Bell - you have to feel sorry for the guy, with the lack of quality in the current side.



That said, how good is Lockers? Better than Cassidy in my book. Mick Cassidy was a great tackler and an underrated player but Lockers is a much classier player. Is Lockers as good as Clarke or Goodway? Possibly not but to be fair to the lad, with the exception of Hock the pack he is leading is really poor compared with the great forward packs of the late 80s and early 90s. With better players around him he would, I'm sure, look a better player. Only Faz could carry this current mediocre pack and he was a once in a lifetime player.

Also out of interest why do you rate Cassidy over Locky, what does Cassidy bring to the table that Locky does not in your opinion and visa versa?

Yes.



He would not get into the starting 15/17 that's for sure.





I have no agenda against Locky for the record.



I just don't think he is good enough, and I CERTAINLY don't think he is as good as most on this forum/in RL circles generally feel.





I am clearly opening myself up to all sorts of "So you don't think he's as good as former/present GB coaches etc etc" but I call it as I see it.





Frankly it's a sad indictment of our game that Locky is considered a candidate for the GB/England 13 shirt, given the quality of the past incumbents.



I say again, if he was born in Sydney, we would never have heard of him.

O'Loughlin is an absolutely class player, shown by the step up he makes with better players around him at international level. To say that he's not good enough is an absolutely ludicrous statement, and i doubt "most people" would agree with you.