Simon "Finny" Finnigan
FullnameSimon Finnigan
CurrentclubWidnes Vikings
Clubnumber14
Birth date8 December 1981 (age 44)
Birth placeWarrington, Cheshire, England
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight14 st 13 lb (95 kg)[1]
Club 1Widnes Vikings
Year1start2003
Year1end05
Appearances 170
Tries 121
Goals 10
Fieldgoals 10
Points 184
Club 2Salford City Reds
Year2start2005
Year2end07
Appearances 249
Tries 217
Goals 20
Fieldgoals 20
Points 268
Club 3Bradford Bulls
Year3start2008
Appearances 330
Tries 310
Goals 30
Fieldgoals 30
Points 340
Club 4Huddersfield Giants
Year4start2009
Year4end10
Appearances 429
Tries 46
Goals 40
Fieldgoals 40
Points 424
Club 5Widnes Vikings
Year5start2011
Year5end12
Appearances 532
Tries 59
Goals 50
Fieldgoals 50
Points 536
Club 6Leigh Centurions
Year6start2013
Appearances 627
Tries 612
Goals 60
Fieldgoals 60
Points 648
TeamaIreland
Yearastart2005
Yearaend13
Appearancesa9
Triesa1
Goalsa0
Fieldgoalsa0
Pointsa4
Retiredno
Source[2][3]

Simon Finnigan (born 8 December 1981)[4] is a professional rugby league coach who is the assistant head coach at Oldham in the Betfred Championship and a former professional rugby league footballer.[5]

He was previously the head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Championship and was previously head coach at Newcastle Thunder and an assistant coach at the Toronto Wolfpack. An Ireland international , he played in the Super League for the Widnes Vikings, Salford City Reds, Bradford Bulls and the Huddersfield Giants, and in the Championship for the Leigh Centurions.

Background

Simon Finnigan was born in Warrington, Cheshire, England, he grew up in Australia, playing for the Penrith Panthers junior teams before joining Widnes Vikings in 2003.

Club career

Finnigan played three season in Super League for Widnes Vikings, before leaving following the club's relegation at the end of the 2005 Super League season. He subsequently joined Salford City Reds, where he played for two seasons before again leaving when the club was relegated at the end of the 2007 Super League season. He signed for Bradford Bulls in September 2007 and stayed for one year before joining Huddersfield Giants in 2009. He rejoined Widnes Vikings in 2011, before finishing his career with Leigh Centurions in 2013. He announced his retirement from the sport in January 2014.[citation needed]

Representative

He was named in the Ireland training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[6] and the Ireland squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[7]

He was again named in the Ireland squad for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, and made two appearances in the tournament, his final rugby league match being Ireland's defeat against Australia.[citation needed]

Statistics

Club career (Super League)

YearClubAppsPtsTGFG
2003Widnes Vikings1941--
2004Widnes Vikings25328–-
2005Widnes Vikings264812–-
2006Salford City Reds254812--
2007Salford City Reds25205--
2008Bradford Bulls26287--
2009Huddersfield Giants20205--
2010Huddersfield Giants741--
2012Widnes Vikings1000--

Representative career

YearTeamMatchesTriesGoalsField GoalsPoints
2008–13Ireland91004

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Finnigan moved into coaching become assistant coach at the Toronto Wolfpack. In 2019 he became head coach of Newcastle Thunder then in League 1, the third tier of rugby league in the United Kingdom.[8]

Finnigan was appointed the head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Championship (the second tier) in November 2020 but left the club in April 2022 by "mutual consent".[9]

References

  1. ^ "Altius Directory Rugby League World Cup 2008 Ireland Team". web page. Altius Directory. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  2. ^ loverugbyleague
  3. ^ RLP
  4. ^ "Huddersfield lose Simon Finnigan for Super League play-offs". Guardian. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  5. ^ Doug Thomson (20 Feb 2026). "Simon Finnigan back in rugby league after Oldham move". Total RL
  6. ^ "Ireland Name World Cup 40 Man Training Squad". Rugby League Ireland. 1 August 2008. Archived from the original on 11 April 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  7. ^ "Cassidy included in Ireland squad". BBC. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  8. ^ Heppenstall, Ross (21 February 2022). "Widnes Vikings remain grounded as fans dare to dream of Super League return". YorkshireLive. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Widnes Vikings part company with head coach Simon Finnigan". Rugby League News. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.