An Ireland international second-row, 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.

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.

He signed for Bradford Bulls in September 2007 and stayed for one year before joining Huddersfield Giants in 2009.

[citation needed] He was named in the Ireland training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[5] and the Ireland squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.

[7] 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".