Hoffman played alongside O'Loughlin at Wigan in 2012 and said the 31-year-old back-rower would be compared to Graham and Sam Burgess if he had joined them in the NRL.

"Everyone had heard whispers about Sam Burgess before he came over and played in Australia, but he came over and we realised what a fantastic player he is. James Graham and the other two Burgess boys [George and Thomas], too," Hoffman said as the Kangaroos prepare to face England in Sunday's must-win Four Nations Test at AAMI Park. "But playing with [O'Loughlin] and seeing what he has done for the Wigan Warriors over the years from a very young age, he is an inspiring character."

O'Loughlin missed England's 32-26 win over Samoa at Suncorp Stadium last Saturday night due to a quadriceps injury sustained in the Super League grand final and aggravated on the long flight to Australia, but he is expected to be fit to play against the Kangaroos.

If he does, Hoffman admitted it would be a massive boost to an England pack that weighs 36 kilograms more than Australia's and boasts Graham and the Burgess twins.

"I think [O'Loughlin] is in the top 10 players in the world," Hoffman said. "As a leader, he is inspiring. He is inspiring by his actions. If England gets him back, it just makes a very formidable forward pack even more challenging. But it is a challenge the Australian team is quite looking forward to because we were disappointed how we as a pack handled New Zealand, so we want to make amends."

Asked why he rated O'Loughlin so highly, Hoffman's description of his no-nonsense style sounded remarkably like Graham, the Canterbury prop who never leaves anyone questioning his will to win and who almost led the Bulldogs to grand final glory against South Sydney.

"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 yell, talk ... 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'."

O'Loughin, who is the brother-in-law of Wigan great Andy Farrell and whose father Keiron and uncle Kevin both had long careers with the famous club, is the only member of the England squad to have enjoyed a win against the Kangaroos on Australian soil after playing in the 2006 triumph at Allianz Stadium.

He was not named in the 17-man squad announced by England coach Steve McNamara on Tuesday but told reporters at the team's training base on the Gold Coast that he expected to play against the Kangaroos.

Wigan half-back Matty Smith is also expected to be fit to partner St George Illawarra five-eighth Gareth Widdop at the scrumbase after having his foot in an orthopedic boot at England's recovery session last Sunday. "He is a premiership and Challenge Cup winning player so he knows how to play in big games," Hoffman said.