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Australia are growing increasingly wary of an England side set to be bolstered by the return of captain Sean O’Loughlin ahead of Sunday’s must-win Four Nations clash at AAMI Park.
Kangaroos back-rower Ryan Hoffman won the 2011 Challenge Cup with Wigan alongside O’Loughlin and rates him as one of the top 10 players in the world.
Australia’s undermanned forward pack are set to be targeted by their massive England opposites and O’Loughlin’s inclusion could be key here.
The 31-year-old missed England’s win in their Four Nations opener over Samoa in Brisbane on Saturday due to a quadriceps injury but is expected to play against Australia.
“I think he is in the top 10 players in the world,” Hoffman said of the tough back-rower.
“As a leader, he is inspiring. He is inspiring by his actions.
“If England get him back, it makes a very formidable forward pack even more challenging.
“But it is a challenge the Australian team is looking forward to because we were disappointed how we as a pack handled New Zealand, so we want to make amends.”
Hoffman has been demoted to the bench for the Kangaroos must-win clash with England after the Roos’ loss to the Kiwis on Saturday, with Corey Parker brought into the starting side.
“Sean O’Loughlin doesn’t mind if he is tackling or running the ball, whether that is 10 metres out from their line or 10 metres out from his own, he will do it all,” Hoffman said.
“He is one of those blokes who doesn’t see anything as not his job and as a captain he leads by example.
“He is not the big talking sort of guy.
“He goes ‘I want to go out and do my job the same every week and this is the way you play rugby league guys, follow me'”.
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