My Ultimate Team: Wigan Warriors captain Liam Farrell’s best 1-17 from players he’s played alongside

Drew Darbyshire
Wigan Warriors Liam Farrell Ultimate Team Alamy

Wigan Warriors captain Liam Farrell is our next guest on My Ultimate Team

Our My Ultimate Team feature is back for another edition – and this time, it’s Wigan Warriors captain and England international Liam Farrell.

The 33-year-old has been a mainstay of his hometown club Wigan since making his first team debut in 2010, going on to play more than 360 games to date whilst earning 12 England caps in the process.

Farrell spoke to Love Rugby League to give us his ultimate line-up of players he’s played alongside – and it’s full of Wigan legends with a sprinkling of England stars..

1. Sam Tomkins (Wigan)

Sam Tomkins Wigan Warriors Alamy

A two-time Man of Steel winner, he won it at both ends of his career which is a big one for me. He’s very passionate about the game, a tough competitor and very skilful. One of the true greats of the game.

2. Josh Charnley (Wigan)

Josh Charnley Wigan Warriors Alamy
Josh Charnley playing for Wigan-Alamy

Josh could end up being the all-time Super League try scorer with the way he’s going, so I’ll go with Josh for that reason alone. I don’t know what he’s at now in terms of tries per game, but when he was younger he’d scored like 20 or 30 tries more than games he’d played. An outstanding winger and he knows how to finish as well.

RELATED: Ranking Super League’s 7 best wingers of all-time, including Josh Charnley

3. Martin Gleeson (Wigan)

Martin Gleeson Wigan Warriors Alamy

Martin is someone who I used to love watching as a kid and I then got to play with him. I just thought he was a classy centre – big and athletic – and he had the old right-hand flick as well.

4. Jake Wardle (Wigan)

Jake Wardle Wigan Warriors Alamy

Jake Wardle has to be up there. In my opinion, he’s the best centre in the league. He knows how to beat a man one on one and defensively he is outstanding. He doesn’t say a lot on the field but I’m getting more out of him now and we’ve got quite a good relationship so he’ll be one of my centres.

5. Pat Richards (Wigan)

Pat Richards Wigan Warriors Alamy

Another former Man of Steel winner, but in 2010 he was just untouchable. He might have played on the wing but he showed up from anywhere and could kick a goal from anywhere as well. He was a great bloke off the field, too.

RELATED: Wigan gave me the best eight years of my life, says Pat Richards

6. Bevan French (Wigan)

Bevan French Wigan Warriors Alamy
Bevan French in action for Wigan Warriors in 2024

Bevan at 6 just for his pure ability. He’s one player that people solely come to watch a game for. You don’t care what position he plays, people want to pay to come and watch someone like him. If he didn’t play for Wigan then I’d pay to watch him – he’s that kind of player.

INSIDE THE DEAL: How Wigan Warriors tied down Bevan French to long-term contract

7. Paul Deacon (Wigan)

Paul Deacon Wigan Warriors Alamy

Just for that flat ball in the last-minute on Good Friday 2011! Aside from that, he used to put the team around the field brilliantly and directed us from everywhere. I thought it was a very smart signing when Madge (Michael Maguire) brought him in. A great kicker of the ball and directed the team around the field very well.

8. Stuart Fielden (Wigan)

Stuart Fielden Wigan Warriors Alamy

I think he had a great season in 2010 and just his entire career was phenomenal. He was massive for Wigan, I think he came in 2006 and I didn’t play with him at that time but he was an iconic figure and led Wigan through a bit of a relegation battle as well, and I then played with him for a few years after that. He was just a no-nonsense front-rower, physical and did his job really well.

9. Tommy Leuluai (Wigan)

Tommy Leuluai Wigan Warriors Alamy

I’ll go with Tommy to start at 9.  Tommy was a great player and won everything in the game, including a World Cup. He’s an absolute legend of a bloke off the field and he could bang as good as anyone so I wouldn’t mind being at the side of him.

10. Adrian Morley (England)

Adrian Morley England Alamy

Absolute beast. Everyone was scared to death of him and he is an absolute top bloke away from playing rugby.

DOWN UNDER: Every British-born player to have graced the NRL since inaugural 1998 season, including Adrian Morley

11. Sam Burgess (England)

Sam Burgess England Alamy

I don’t need to say much more on Sam: one of the best to go over to the NRL and do what he’s done. Some of the things he did in his early days of playing for Great Britain as well – just a phenomenal player.

12. Ryan Hoffman (Wigan)

Ryan Hoffman Wigan Warriors Alamy

He came over with big expectations, he came over from Melbourne when he was absolutely killing it and he just came with a good presence about himself, delivered consistently every game and had a high work rate. A great bloke, too.

13. Sean O’Loughlin (Wigan)

Sean O'Loughlin Wigan Warriors Alamy
Sean O'Loughlin in action for Wigan Warriors

Not much more needs to be said about Lockers. He’s just got Wigan written all over him. An iconic player for Wigan and England, has got so many caps to his name and won everything there is to win. You see now a lot of teams are trying to develop 13s who are like him, so that says something about him.

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Bench

14. Micky McIlorum (Wigan)

Michael McIlorum Wigan Warriors Alamy

I’ll give a massive shoutout to Micky Mac (McIlorum) because he is the toughest player I’ve ever played with.

15. Luke Thompson (Wigan)

Luke Thompson Wigan Warriors Alamy
Luke Thompson in action for Wigan Warriors in 2024

I think he came to the club with a lot of high expectations and he has probably outshone the expectations if I’m honest with you – not by doing anything flashy but doing his job really, really well – probably similar to Stuart Fielden. Very dedicated to his craft, just a physical enforcer and he’s doing a really good job for us at the moment.

16. James Graham (England)

James Graham England Alamy

I think he was a unique front-rower – as tough as they come, skilful and was one of the best in the NRL in his time.

17. George Williams (Wigan)

George Williams Wigan Warriors Alamy
George Williams for Wigan-Alamy

I said it when he left (Wigan) that he was one of those players whose highlight reels on YouTube would be outstanding. He could break the line better than anyone and he’s still doing it now as well.

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