How do we replace him?

He's as important to Wigan as Andy Farrell was, as important As Paul Sculthorpe was to Saints, as important as Jamie Peacock and /or Kevin Sinfield were to Leeds.

All great, but different types of players and all leaders.

But, you know he only got into the team because he was Andy Farrell's brother-in-law according to some posters that is.

I agree. (Not on the last bit, ha). To be honest I think we will probably need to look abroad for his replacement. Hopefully we don't need to worry this winter about it, but we need to be prepared for it in the next 1-2 years.

I genuinely dread the day he hangs up his boots. There were people on here 2 seasons ago saying he was finished! He sure put a lot of egg on a lot of faces and to answer your question I don't think we can replace him. We'll be a worse side because he's not in it. I just hope he does at least 1 more season.
We lost Hanley and survived, lost Farrell, Edwards, Gregory etc and survived and I'm sure we'll get by.

We have to sign someone, it's as simple as that. There's no one in the squad or probably even this hemisphere that will give us a fraction of what Lockers does. Bateman isn't the answer. I don't think our next captain is even in our squad currently. None of them have stepped up when given the captaincy.

I think he has become my personal favourite ever wigan player.

Class act on the park and off it, in every sense of the word.

Will leave a huge hole that no one in the current squad will fill

For all the bad calls by me on various topics (too many to mention!) I can honestly say I've stuck by this guy from minute one. A true Wigan great, both on the field and off. Obviously, his time will come to an end and someone else will get the 13 shirt - and all of the pressure and expectations along with it. One thing is for sure though. He will leave a gaping chasm in this team as things stand.

No player is ever bigger than the team but a few do come awfully close and Lockers is one of those type of players,i fear we may be on for a bit of a lean time when he does hang the boots up as there simply isnt a replacement in the team or squad at present,no one comes near,as you say the team is far worse without him on the field it going to be a touch season or two when he goes.

Aye, you and me both Jimmy! It was a lonely furrow at times circa 2006, especially on t'other site!

One of the greats, we should be enjoying it every time he plays as there he's not going to play much longer.

Hit like a prop, pass like a half back. Incredible.

The same feeling we had for sir Kev, underrated by some other fans but the glue that held Leeds together, a great leader and ambassador for the club and the sport and much missed, no coincidence that we fell apart last season after he retired, Lockers, class act, two of the best 13 s and leaders our clubs have ever seen

Tell me about it!

Lockers will be hard to replace that's for sure. This season he's made some important contributions that I don't think many other players could have provided. It's going to be next to impossible to find a replacement who can defend as strongly and intelligently, someone who can run the ball hard and still have the handling ability to fire long passes or quick short passes with the accuracy he can.

It may require a change in how we play. We could easily get sucked into the idea that we have to try to replace him like for like and end up with someone trying to fill a role they aren't capable of doing. We've been able to win games without O'Loughlin over the last few years and as long as the club makes some wise signings we should be okay.

We don't necessarily have to sign a new loose forward. We could bring in a top quality second row and move Bateman down the middle. We don't have to have a ball playing 13 and Bateman could offer something different that's still effective and beneficial for the team.

The biggest concern is replacing him as a captain. We can appear a bit like a rudderless ship when he's injured or off the field. I'm not one who believes in captains being individuals who inspire teams single handed - if you look back at players considered great captains I'd say most of them played alongside other good leaders as well. You need leadership qualities throughout the squad to be truly successful. However, I do think there's a purpose to the captaincy role and that you can't just give it to anyone. It's possible we will really miss what O'Loughlin brings as captain and I don't know if there's anyone else at the club who really stands out as a natural leader.

I wonder if we will go back to a leadership team when O'Loughlin retires, and see whether the best leader emerges from that group. I think I'm right in saying the loosely defined 'leadership team' we had until 2016 included players like Joel Tomkins, Farrell, McIlorum and Powell. You'd probably add Sam Tomkins to that list now. I'm not sure any name stands out among them.

I think Bateman could take both the 13 shirt and the captaincy without any problem. He's not going to be throwing big booming passes out but he's got enough quality to play there and he's better at certain things then Lockers himself. He doesn't seem the brightest away from the field but on it he's a total professional and he has a great rugby brain and awareness.

It's between him and Sam Tomkins for me.

I am not sure for Bateman to replace lockers at both 13 and captain - for me he has been a bit off form for a while recently (bit like Farrell) - still playing ok but not as well as he can do. Lockers will be virtually impossible to replace as as I do not see anyone else who combines the power/strength of a forward with the skills of a half in the whole league at present except maybe Wilkin of a few years ago.

I think Sam T is the obvious captain choice - I do not see anyone else in the squad with the strength of character and leadership skills and is on the pitch for the whole game- we do have a lot of quiet seeming players!

As for 13 - good luck on that one!

I dread the day he retires, as a captain, as a player and inspiration to his teammates. Currently he is just irreplaceable, plain and simple. As said though you have to evolve as a team and learn to not rely on certain individuals. It'll be a strong test for the players and coaching staff once he hang up his boots.

Bateman for the 13 shirt Sam for captain and then Bateman once sam retires

I recall he was always your favourite player and you would put me right when i said something wrong about him, those where the days back on Mikes site

Sinfield was undoubtedly important to Leeds as Lockers is to Wigan but the difference is Sinfield was never an international class player whereas Lockers was and is. Sinfield never looked comfortable playing international RL, Lockers has always looked even better than he has done playing for Wigan. It's a pity Lockers has missed quite a few internationals due to injury.

I never want to see class players like Lockers leave SL for the NRL but I reckon if he had fancied it (which he clearly did not) he'd have been a mega star in Oz.

Haha. Many a good argument back then Meds! To be fair you did see sense in the end although you still can't resist a dig whenever you get chance.

I think his quality is self evident to even the blindest fan these days even if it's taken a lot longer than it should! I looked at Redvee the other night and the praise for Lockers was unreserved (which I thought showed a lot of class in defeat from some of their posters) and if even our dearest rivals can see it...

God help us when he retires though!

I saw sense in the end, he will be a great loss to the team

I may be going mad but I see a certain element of Lockers when I see Ward play.

Samy Kibula has some similar elements to his game too. He's still very young but he runs it in hard, passes from within the defensive line and has a great offloading game. Needs to build his fitness up and perhaps add a long passing game if possible but has great potential.

Firstly on Lockers as a player absolute legend and Mr Wigan. He may not be the most naturally talented player I have ever seen in a Wigan shirt, although he clearly does have bags of talent, but he just puts it in week in week out on the field and in training too I would imagine. He has suffered a near career ending injury, which in truth took him fully 2 years to recover from but he never lost confidence in the face of a fair bit of flack at the time from the stands.

What impresses me most about him is his willingness and ability to adapt as a player, constantly evolving his game as he has physically developed and aged hence why he is such a rounded player. Passing like a half, running like a prop offloading like a centre and leading by example week in week out.

Replacing him is probably going to have to see us change in style. I can't think of any 13 anywhere that brings what he does and the complete skill set he has to the table that is realistically available anyway.

We may go down the line of bringing in a Prop or using Flower in that role, as seems to be the trend these days. Internally I would say Joel is the most likely replacement given his recent foray into the frontrow.

I know it is very very early days but the young kid, Hanley, looks like a player mounded after his dad. Strong dynamic runner eye for the line and very comfortable in the 13 shirt when Locky retires he will be 17/18 and IF he develops could be knocking on the first team door by then with a bit of luck and hard work. Like his dad however he looks like a player who could play in any of the strike positions and I would think if he gets to first team level it will initially be as a back.

I'm sure the coaches are looking at a succession plan both long and short term, either way though I wouldn't fancy their job as it will be one hell of a hole to fill when he does hang up his boots.

The only player in the current set up who looks remotely similar to O'Loughlin is Nick Gregson. However he's had so many injuries in his short career I think it would be very difficult for him to "come to the rescue"

Spot on. Forget replacing Lockers with a like for like player we need to change our style.