Wigan’s transformation into world and domestic champions in 2024 began three years earlier when Peet arrived at the club, ready to take charge for the 2022 campaign.
O’Loughlin had retired from playing at the end of a difficult 2020 season, which was played under the backdrop of Covid lockdowns and finished with an agonising defeat at the hands of rivals St Helens in a stunning Super League Grand Final finale behind closed doors in Hull.
That loss brought down the curtain on a 19-year career with Wigan, during which he reached eight Grand Finals, won 10 major trophies, captained England and played 11 times for Great Britain.
As one door closes, another opens.
A pathway to coaching began the following year, which eventually led to O’Loughlin joining Peet’s backroom staff 12 months before Leuluai.
“I got to find my feet a little bit, but as soon as you’re in the deep end of having some ownership about something, it’s a tough role to be in,” O’Loughlin told Sport.
“You learn on your feet and you learn as you go. You make mistakes and you try to get better at it.”
Leuluai, on the other hand, went right into the cut and thrust of coaching. Having retired at the end of 2022 – itself a positive campaign having won the Challenge Cup just months into Peet’s tenure – he stepped in as assistant the following season.
“I was really new into it, I hadn’t coached much before so I was quite fresh and learning on the run, really,” Leuluai said.
“It’s been quite successful for everyone at the club. The first couple of years were obviously successful, but for me it was just a massive learning experience.”
