O’Loughlin and Leuluai share contract excitement
- Assistant Coaches Sean O’Loughlin and Thomas Leuluai shared their excitement after signing new seven-year deals with the Club.
- O’Loughlin: “With the people around us we feel like we can improve week-by-week and hopefully those little improvements can keep us fresh for the upcoming years.”
- Leuluai: “I feel like this is the best place for me to develop, to grow, and I’m just really excited to be here for the future.”
Assistant Coaches Sean O’Loughlin and Thomas Leuluai shared their excitement in signing new seven-year deals with the Club.
The Warriors announced on Wednesday afternoon that O’Loughlin and Leuluai, alongside Head Coach Matt Peet, have signed long-term deals that will keep the trio contracted until at least the end of the 2030 season.
O’Loughlin, who spent his 19-year playing career entirely with the Warriors, helped guide the Club as a coach to a Challenge Cup in 2022, before he was joined by Leuluai for the League Leaders’ Shield and Grand Final success in 2023.
Speaking to the press on his new deal, O’Loughlin said: “It’s definitely an honour to be offered to be here for that amount of time as it gives us confidence that we’re doing something right.
“It’s kind of a challenge as well to be around here for seven years as that means we’ve got to adapt and learn whilst still being good in seven years time. We can’t just rely on what we’re doing at the minute so it will be a big task to still be performing next year and the year after.”
The former Warriors captain highlighted his privilege to be in the role, he said: “We’re in a very privileged position, and I’d still be thinking the same thing even if we hadn’t won a World Club Challenge or if we weren’t unbeaten at the start of the season.
“It’s a great place to work, it’s enjoyable and it’s a good place to learn and develop. With the people around us we feel like we can improve week-by-week and hopefully those little improvements can keep us fresh for the upcoming years.”
Learning and improvement has been at the heart of everything for Peet, O’Loughlin and Leuluai in their tenure so far.
Pointing out the key elements that have stood out in his transition from player to coach, O’Loughlin added: “You’re learning lessons on the go all the time which is why I’m in a good place.
“I’ve got a lot of great staff around me on the coaching side of things – the strength and conditioning, the physios, you’re tapping into that side of things as well as a coach, it’s not just on the field. Those little lessons are what ultimately improves the big picture of your game.
“Tommy (Leuluai) and I are similar in that sense because we’ve got the experience on the field that makes you feel tactically and technically that you know the game. But, to get your messages and points across, and get people to understand what you want them to do, that’s probably where you’re learning the coaching techniques every week.”
Discussing his new deal, Leuluai, who is entering his second season as an Assistant Coach, added: “Firstly, I’m very grateful for the opportunity to stay on for such a long time. I jumped straight into coaching, and Matty (Peet) and Rads (Kris Radlinski) have put a lot of trust in me – I’ve learnt so much already from them.
“I was involved in the game for a long time like Lockers (Sean O’Loughlin), but I suppose it’s a whole different ball game. You’re learning every day, and I feel like this is the best place for me to develop, to grow, and I’m just really excited to be here for the future.”
Having played 327 games across two spells for the Cherry and Whites, Leuluai is now continuing to focus his attention on improving as a coach, and helping his successors on the field get better too.
He said: “For me, it’s just about trying to learn and improve daily so I can help the boys go out there and represent our Club.
“To get a role as a player and to join the coaching staff, it’s always something I wanted to try my hand at and wanted to do. I was grateful for the Club to give me that opportunity and then obviously after a year into it to offer me a new contract, it just shows the trust they have in me which gives me confidence to keep improving really.
“I know I’m new to it, I know I’ve got a lot to learn, so I’m not sitting here thinking I’m ahead of where I am – it gives me confidence that I’m on the right path, and I’m excited to learn under Matty and Lockers to keep improving.”
Leuluai shared that the positive relationship with Peet and O’Loughlin made the decision ‘easy’ to stay on: “Obviously, I wouldn’t have agreed to stay if I didn’t get along with these two guys, I’ve known them both for a really long time.
“I think that’s special here, we really have a good time. We have a laugh when we need to have a laugh, but we work really hard and Matty leads the way there.
“Not just us three but the rest of the staff, we all get along. We challenge each other when we need to, but we also enjoy each other’s company. We view the game very similarly which is good, but we also challenge each other. I’m just really enjoying my time.”
Watch further contract reaction with Head Coach Matt Peet on Wigan TV HERE.
Sean O’Loughlin and Thomas Leuluai are sponsored by Chris & Nicola Martindale.
By Harvey Orgill.
