SEAN O’LOUGHLIN knows Wigan cannot even think about the glory of being champions – after being brought back down to Earth quickly.
The Warriors’ success last year came after a year blighted by serious injuries, which resulted in coach Shaun Wane having to raid his stocks of promising young kids.
Wane’s wonders came good as they saw off Warrington, with the coach insisting that was the best success ever because of the circumstances.
But skipper O’Loughlin rapidly found out that winning the league does not count for much in some parts of the town.
The champagne had barely soaked in before he was told he and his team-mates would have to produce even more in 2017.
O’Loughlin said: “I was told, ‘Well done, but you’d better play better next year, all year.’
“Once you’ve won it, it’s old news. Everything turns towards next season.
“As defending champions, you’re always there to be knocked off. When you’ve not won a trophy, everyone’s hungry.
“But when you’ve won it, that taste of success gives you just as much motivation to get out there.
“We had a great start last year, then picked up a lot of injuries and had a bit of a slump, but we still managed to pick up wins.
“People said we didn’t play well but we were winning. Then we had a good end.”
Wigan have definitely been about shaking things up in the off-season and not just in their playing staff.
As well as incomings and outgoings, Wane has had his team training alongside Manchester Thunder netball team, Wigan Athletic and doing mountain biking, watersports and taking his side on a ‘mystery tour’ where only postcodes of where they were heading were given.
It is all about how different things and different situations bring different reactions from players and O’Loughlin believes they are ready to defend, with Thomas Leuluai and Joe Burgess back in their ranks after NRL stints.
He added: “Losing a half-back like Matty Smith is a big blow but Tommy is a quality player and the fact we still play in a similar way to when he was here, with a lot of the same calls, has made his transition back a lot simpler.
“We’ve lost some good players like Matty, Josh Charnley, Lee Mossop, Dan Sarginson and Dom Crosby but we’ve replaced well and those coming in will add something to us.
“It’s always the case, if you’re successful people will move on.”
O’Loughlin could be in for a long, busy year that could end with FIVE different trophies.
As well as Super League and the League Leaders’ Shield, Wigan want the Challenge Cup and the World Club Challenge.
Then there is the World Cup at the end of the year after being forced to give up the captain’s armband because of injury then watch England frustrate in the Four Nations.
“I just wanted to be part of it and try to add something,” recalled O’Loughlin, who starts Wigan’s title defence at Salford on Saturday. “It was hard to watch.
“The World Cup seems a million miles away but at the minute, I feel like missing out has helped me a bit ahead of this year.
“That’s probably the first time I’ve not been involved with England and not had any injuries. Hopefully that will help me.
“It’s my first full pre-season in a long time. In the past, when I’ve not played for England, I’ve either broken something or had an operation.
“And I definitely want to be in contention for the Test against Samoa in May – but lifting five trophies this year would be nice!”
O’Loughlin, 34, already has one memento from the 2017 season, a Manchester United shirt that comedian Johnny Vegas tries to squeeze on him in Sky’s advert of their coverage.
And as a keen Red Devil, he has been more than happy to take it.
“I got it, they let me take it home with me,” he admitted. “The only thing I didn’t do was get it signed.
“I couldn’t believe how professional he was in front of the camera – he was unbelievably funny though.
“Every take was spot on.”
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