Wigan captain Sean O’Loughlin has agreed a new contract that will see him play out his career with his home-town club.
The England skipper was the only senior Warriors player yet to agree terms for 2018 and had been linked with a move to Toronto.
However, Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan confirmed at the club’s awards dinner on Sunday night that O’Loughlin, who made his 400th appearance earlier this year, will be staying put.
“You cannot say that anyone has contributed more over the last 10 years than Sean O’Loughlin,” Lenagan is quoted on Wigan’s Twitter feed.
“He has led us for the last 10 years and has that Wigan DNA in his blood.”
O’Loughlin, who began his Wigan career in 2002, turns 35 later this year, but has enjoyed a successful season despite his club’s failure to win a domestic trophy.
He played in 26 matches for Wigan in 2017, including their World Club Challenge victory over Cronulla, as well as England’s mid-season international against Samoa.
He was the only Warriors player included in the Super League Dream Team and his continuing value to the team was demonstrated by Wigan’s inability to win a single one of their eight league matches without O’Loughlin in the side. Not surprisingly, he was named Wigan’s player of the year at the dinner.
O’Loughlin, who will lead England in the end-of-season World Cup in Australia, said: “I’m a Wigan lad, to be here so long is a privilege and it’s great that I’ll see out my career here.”