An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward,[2] he played the majority of his club football in Australia for the North Sydney Bears, winning 1994's Rothmans Medal.
This was followed by a season at the Newcastle Knights, and another in England at St. Helens, with whom he won the 2001 Challenge Cup Final before retiring.
Teams he has worked at include the Newcastle Knights, Parramatta Eels, New Zealand Warriors, Penrith Panthers and the Nth Queensland Cowboys.
Although not selected for Origin in 1994, Fairleigh won the Rothman's Medal in 1994 for the best and fairest player in the NRL with a record tally of 33 votes.
The same year he played in the winning St Helens team in the 100th Challenge Cup Final against Bradford Bulls at Twickenham.
As Super League V champions, St. Helens played against 2000 NRL Premiers, the Brisbane Broncos in the 2001 World Club Challenge.
The team lost to the USA and Tonga, but they won their last match against the Tournament co-hosts Wales creating history for the sport of rugby league in the Cook Islands.