Confirmed that he's hanging his boots up at the end of this season.

[urlhttps://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2020/11/13/oloughlin-to-call-time-on-19-year-career/[/url

Not a big shock, but still the end of an era.

Absolute model pro and a modern day Wigan legend!

It’s a struggle to put into words how good he has been for us both on and off the field. Here’s hoping he gets to go out on a high, he deserves it.

Such a shame he is going out with no fans (same with James Graham) to give him the send off he deserves.

That's me tuning in to the awards dinner next week.

I’m sat here feeling old as it doesn’t seem two minutes since watching him break through. What an absolutely brilliant player he’s been for us and the game. He is an extremely special talent and and will be sadly missed. The time is right however in all but the fact he’ll retire in an empty stadium. We’ve a way to go yet but it could be Lockers vs Graham in their final games and that would be very fitting. Two absolute legends of the game.

Announced he will go straight into the Wigan hall of fame too.

He's been my favourite player for pretty much his whole career. Sad to see him go but hopefully they can end on a high.

World class a phrase banded about far too often but totally appropriate in relation to Lockers when he was at the height of his game and as a leader throughout his entire Wigan career.

In some ways I wish he had gone to Australia for a couple of years just to get the recognition he deserved as I’ve no doubt he would have been a massive hit over there.

An absolute Wigan legend deserving to be mentioned alongside the likes of Hanley, Farrell and Edwards et al.

I think he is destined to be a head coach of the club in the future and I look forward to seeing how his coaching career pans out.

I didn’t rate him.

(I got that slightly wrong).

Legend

I suppose the greatest tribute I can pay him is to tell a little story about something that happened when we went to Aus for the Wigan v Hull game.

We had a few beers with some of the ex. Wigan Aussie players. One of our group asked who did they think could have played at the top level over in Aus?

To a man they all said "Lockers, he would walk into ANY Australian team"

It seems anyone who's played with him puts him as one of if not the best they've ever played with. People like Richards and Hoffman have said it and when you look at who they've played with it really tells you how good lockers has been.

You get two type of fans when it comes to SOL, those that put him up there with the very best and those that just don`t see it, I have always said that people that don`t rate SOL don`t have a great knowledge of the game, the type of player that can influence a game without even touching the ball, even more so I would argue later in his career, Wigan just look a better team when he is on the pitch. I assume that for the Wigan supporters it has been a pleasure to watch him week in week out over the last 15 years

I would guess that you will be keeping him on under some capacity in coaching?

Sean O'Loughlin is one of the greatest players to pull on the jersey. Simple as that. He did the little details better than anyone who has played for us in the SL era.

His whole all round game is/was so strong. A complete player. I have never seen another player like him. Could carry the ball like a prop, could pass the ball like a half back (that pass for Dan Sarginson at pace v Saints Good Friday away comes to mind) or setup a try with a perfect chip kick to the corner. He is not a traditional loose forward- he is too skillful to be labelled that. Ferocious in defence; stats don't tell you how hard he hits opponents. So consistent. Brilliant, brilliant player. World class.

So in summary - I rate him.

Nathan Brown when he was at Saints sums it up:

“Sean took us to school. He’s easily the best loose forward in the
world — miles better than anyone in Australia.”

Very lucky to have had a player of his calibre play for us for 19 years. A privilege to have watched him play.

A Wigan great - no more no less, I very much doubt we will see a player of his type again sadly. Wish him all the luck for whatevwer he does next not only has he been a great player but a great clubman as well.

My favourite player, played in good times and bad. Had the burden of being Farrells successor and met the challenge.

Honestly I’ve no words to adequately describe what Lockers has been to this club. A legend doesn’t even come close to being able to describe him or his stature not just at Wigan but in the game.

An ultra leader, captain and all round person. A fine example for the next Wigan captain. We genuinely will probably never see another like him.

First remember watching him when he played for the academy and the thing that struck me most was how much time he always seemed to have nothing was ever rushed and he coasted through games as though he was much older than the rest

Absolute icon. 15 years as club captain. Gone through bad times and good.

Run and tackle like a prop, pass and kick like a half back.

What better example to youngsters and figure head of our great club.

I’m 27 so he’s the really the only captain I’ve ever known..

Simply the greatest player I’ve ever watched.

The time is right and we have learned to play without him, just gutted they’ll be no fans.

Lockers prob the greatest player I have seen .
I remember that pass to Sarge at the stains game,I also remember I was at a birthday party after the game in St Helens and mentioned what a fantastic pass it was and a Stains fan said yes but the Wilkin pass was better,some people do not see and will not accept brilliance.
Most Wigan fans agree that he is a modern day legend up there with the best and some are blind to that fact.

Amazing player, think it’s testament to how good he is how other professionals hold him in such high regard. To the wider world he probably isn’t a massive name or star like some other players but unfortunately he played a fair amount of his early career in a poor Wigan side but in my opinion he’s the best all round player I have seen in my lifetime, I’d have him ahead of Farrell.

He has been an absolutely amazing player, leader and captain. He could do everything. Hopefully he goes out with a fairytale ending and we win the GF.

Retiring is the correct decision, we've seen this year that he doesn't offer quite what he used to and the errors seem more memorable in some games, plus he's playing even less games than ever. I felt in previous seasons that the team would suffer if he retired, this season we have learned how to play without him, so that's another reason for the timing being right.

Club legend and quite rightly he's been instantly added to the hall of fame.

Haven't we been blessed with loose forwards at Wigan. In my time of watching, the likes of Roy Evans, Douggie Laughton, Ellery Hanley, Dean Bell, Phil Clarke, Andy Farrell and Sean O'Loughlin.

Unbelievable really. I do wonder if we’ll hand the 13 shirt to John Bateman as it’s sort of out iconic number, a bit like the Manchester United 7 shirt and you need a top player to wear it. I probably wouldn’t play him at loose forward but I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Isa keep the right sided second row spot and Bateman playing in the middle.

I do think that Bateman will be LF next year

Played a few games there for Canberra didn't he, and we do seem to be playing an extra forward at 13 rather than a ball player.

I just cant see who else would start there and i dont really think we will leave Farrell or Isa out of the starting 13