Where Are They Now? The Wigan Warriors side from the Andy Farrell broken nose game in 2004

It is 20 years to the day since THAT game in which Andy Farrell broke his nose before inspiring his Wigan Warriors side to an infamous win over Leeds Rhinos.

Farrell played through the pain barrier to inspire the Warriors to a 26-22 victory against the Rhinos, a game in which he needed to leave the field multiple times for treatment.

The sight of Farrell returning to the field with strapping wrapped around his head to protect his broken nose will live with supporters who were at that game forever. Here’s the team that played that night – and what happened to them next.

Kris Radlinski

One of the most iconic Wigan players in modern-day history, Radlinski spent his entire club career with his hometown club. He made over 300 appearances for the Warriors in a career spanning from 1993 all the way through to 2006, winning a host of domestic trophies along the way.

Now? He is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished CEOs in Super League – with the Warriors, where he has remained ever since retiring.

Brett Dallas

The Australian winger was, and arguably still is, viewed as one of Wigan’s best overseas imports in the Super League era. He spent seven seasons with the Warriors, scoring over 100 tries at a ratio of better than one every two games.

His playing career finished at the end of the 2006 season but unfortunately, in recent years, Dallas has been involved in controversy back in Australia. He spent ten months in prison during 2020 and 2021 after being caught in possession of drugs, before being released in April of 2021 on parole.

Gary Connolly

Connolly was in his second stint with Wigan by this point in 2004, having just returned to the club following a two-season spell in West Yorkshire with Leeds Rhinos. He would play 17 times for the Warriors in 2004 before taking up a deal with Widnes Vikings for 2005. After that, he announced his retirement from rugby league.

Connolly then switched codes to play rugby union with Munster, and according to reports in recent years, he still lives in Wigan to this day and is employed as a care worker.

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Martin Aspinwall

Aspinwall was only in the early throes of his rugby league career at this point, having made his first-team debut for Wigan just a few years earlier, in 2001.

He would go on to have a long and successful career at the top of the game with the likes of Wigan and Huddersfield, before finishing his playing career in 2021 with Barrow Raiders. He has remained in Cumbria since, where he now works as an accountant.

David Hodgson

2004 would be the final season of Hodgson’s five-year stint with Wigan Warriors. He made well over 100 appearances for the club during that time and at the end of that season, he would sign for Salford Red Devils.

Further spells with Huddersfield and Hull KR followed before Hodgson transitioned into coaching at the end of his playing career with Rovers. He remains there to this day, as the club’s assistant coach and reserve team head coach.

Danny Orr

Castleford Tigers icon Orr hung up his playing boots in 2012, before embarking on a career in coaching. He was a long-serving ally of Daryl Powell during his successful stint with the Tigers from 2013 to 2020, before Orr swapped clubs to take up a role as assistant coach at Salford.

Now? He’s believed to be training to be a police detective, in a complete career shift!

Adrian Lam

Like a couple of other players in this Wigan team, 2004 proved to be Lam’s final season as a professional rugby league player. He hung up his boots at the end of that season, returning to Australia to begin his coaching career.

Stints with the Papua New Guinea national team and various NRL teams as an assistant coach followed, before Lam moved back to Wigan in 2019 to become their head coach. Then, in 2022, Lam joined Leigh Leopards – and led them to the Challenge Cup in 2023. He remains at Leigh to this day.

Terry O’Connor

One of the most fearsome and recognisable props of the Super League era, O’Connor spent ten years with Wigan between 1994 and 2004, making over 300 appearances for the Warriors.

He finished his playing career with Widnes Vikings in 2006 and transitioned into punditry – where he became a firm fixture of Sky Sports’ Super League coverage, a role he still holds to this day.

Terry Newton

Newton was one of Super League’s greatest-ever hookers, and he served Wigan with real distinction over a career in Cherry and White spanning 200-plus appearances.

He left at the end of 2005 to join Bradford Bulls before a short-lived stint with Wakefield Trinity and a failed drug test brought a conclusion to his playing career in 2010. Tragically, just a few months later, Newton passed away.

Craig Smith

New Zealand international Smith spent three seasons with Wigan between 2002 and 2004 before returning to the NRL to finish his playing career with a spell at Newcastle Knights.

He then, according to reports, transitioned into a coaching role with the Knights post-playing.

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Danny Tickle

Tickle had a long and storied career in professional rugby league spanning almost 20 years. After making over 150 appearances for Wigan, he then did the same in a successful stint at Hull FC.

Spells at the likes of Widnes, Castleford and Leigh followed before Tickle ended his playing career with Workington Town in 2019.

Andy Farrell

The star of this very piece, Farrell became one of the greatest players in Wigan Warriors’ entire history during an incredible and unforgettable playing career with his hometown club.

At the end of 2004, Farrell crossed codes to join Saracens, and he has remained in union ever since. One of the best rugby league players in the world at his time, Farrell is now one of the best coaches in the world of rugby union, leading Ireland – as well as the British and Irish Lions next year.

Sean O’Loughlin

The long-term successor to Farrell in the number 13 shirt at Wigan, O’Loughlin enjoyed a wonderful playing career with the Warriors which saw him win practically every trophy on offer.

He remained with the Warriors as a player until the end of 2020, before immediately transitioning into a role on the club’s coaching staff. He is now one of Matt Peet’s assistants and part of their dominant success of club rugby league.

Danny Sculthorpe (sub)

After leaving Wigan in 2006, Sculthorpe went on to have playing spells with the likes of Castleford Tigers, Wakefield Trinity and Widnes Vikings.

Post-playing, Sculthorpe has become a wonderful ambassador for State of Mind, frequently giving talks on mental health and making a real difference both inside and outside of rugby league.

Stephen Wild (sub)

Wild remained with Wigan until the end of 2005, after which he went on to enjoy successful stints with both Huddersfield Giants and Salford Red Devils.

His playing career finished with North Wales Crusaders – and since finishing playing, Wild has opened a successful gym business in the Wigan area.

Gareth Hock (sub)

Hock remained with Wigan for a decade as a professional, from 2003 to 2013. He then went on to have spells with the likes of Salford Red Devils and Featherstone Rovers.

Mark Smith (sub)

Smith left Wigan at the end of the 2004 season to take up a deal with Widnes Vikings. He remained there until the end of 2010, after which he joined Swinton Lions.

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