Where are they now: 1999 NRL grand finalists
What became of the 34 players who took part in the 1999 NRL grand final?
Robbie Ross earned a Kangaroos call-up at the end of 1999 and played four more seasons for Melbourne, announcing his retirement at the beginning of 2004. Ross is now based in London and works as a property developer.
Craig Smith retired after the 1999 grand final, having played a key role in the decider with three goals and the deciding penalty try. Now lives in Perth and works in the fitness industry.
Aaron Moule played four more seasons with the Storm before moving to England where he played for Widness in 2004 and 2005 and Salford for the following two seasons. Backpacked around the world for two years, lived in Thailand, gained a commerce degree and a MBA and is now a property developer and personal investor.
Tony Martin left the Storm at the end of 2000 to return to play three seasons with London where his career had begun, returned to the NRL with four years at the Warriors, then finished his career with stints at Wakefield Trinity, Crusaders and Hull FC before retiring in 2012. Now works as a financial planner in Central Queensland.
Marcus Bai left the Storm at the end of 2003, heading to the UK where he played for Leeds and Bradford before retiring in 2006. He returned home to PNG where he started a farming plantation and later worked in the mining industry. He then moved to the Gold Coast with his family.
Matt Geyer went on to play nine more seasons at the Storm and was the last of the club's pioneer players when he retired at the end of 2008. Works as a school teacher on the Gold Coast and is a member of the senior coaching staff of Currumbin Eagles.
Brett Kimmorley played another 10 seasons after the '99 decider, leaving Melbourne for a one-year stint at the Northern Eagles in 2001 before spending seven seasons at the Sharks and two at Canterbury before retiring in 2010. Took up assistant coach role at Canterbury in 2010, later joined Canberra under David Furner, coached Wests Tigers Under 20s and Wests Devils in Illawarra. Currently an analyst for NRL.com and Fox Sports. Father to four daughters.
Premiership-winning skipper Glenn Lazarus retired after the 1999 grand final, after a career featuring 254 first-grade matches and 22 appearances for Australia. Inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame and named in NSW Team of the Century in 2008. After involvement with coaching, Lazarus went into politics and served as a Queensland senator in Federal Parliament from 2013-16.
Richard Swain played three more seasons for Melbourne and one for the Broncos before finishing his career at Hull FC in the English Super League, retiring in 2007. Works in the mining industry.
Rodney Howe spent five more years at Melbourne, retiring at the end of 2004 after a 13-year career. Strength and conditioning coach for French Super League club Catalans.
Stephen Kearney during his playing days with the Storm.
Paul Marquet left the Storm after the 2000 season to spend a season at his original club Newcastle, then finished his career with Warrington in 2002. Returned to Newcastle after playing career ended and remains involved in the game as coach of Raymond Terrace women’s team.
Tawera Nikau left the Storm and the NRL after the 1999 grand final, finishing his career in England after two years at Warrington. Nikau had his right leg amputated in 2004 after complications from injuries suffered in a motorbike accident. He has since completed the New York Marathon three times. Managing director of Team One International, a training company dedicated to “unleashing human potential”. Selector for New Zealand Kiwis, and NZRL director.
Matt Rua finished up with the Storm in 2002, having played 11 matches for New Zealand. He returned for a single game with the club in 2007. Returned to New Zealand at the end of his career and took on a lay advocacy role where he eventually became a mentor for youths appearing at the Rangatahi Court. Has started his own business as a coach, consultant and community development facilitator.
Russell Bawden played two more seasons at Melbourne before returning to his original club London for three seasons, retiring in 2004. Completed carpentry apprenticeship while playing and now works as building supervisor for Queensland-based construction company.
Ben Roarty left Melbourne after 2001 for two seasons at Penrith, then finished his career with four years in the Super League with Huddersfield and Castleford. Returned to Melbourne after his playing career and works as a fitness trainer. Roarty has worked with the likes of former Test cricketer Simon O’Donnell, paralympian Jake Lappin and golfer Brock Gillard.
Danny Williams left the Storm at the end of the 2004 season and finished his career with two seasons in the Super League with London and Harlequins. Lives in Melbourne and works as national accounts manager for a leading painting solutions provider.
Luke Patten spent one more season at the Dragons before leaving for the Bulldogs, where he spent a decade from 2001 to 2010. He retired from rugby league after two years at Salford. Made a playing comeback this year for Albion Park Eagles in the Group Seven South Coast competition after working as an NRL video review official.
A former Dally M Centre of the Year, Jamie Ainscough spent two more years at the Dragons and was an incumbent NSW winger when he left to play Super League for Wigan. Ainscough’s career ended in 2003 after nearly needing to have his arm amputated due to an infection caused by a tooth belonging to St Helens centre Martin Gleeson being embedded in it.
Dragons captain Paul McGregor was forced into an early (and short-lived) retirement after the 1999 decider due to a shoulder injury, but returned for a final season in 2001.
Shaun Timmins earned Australia and New South Wales jerseys after the 1999 grand final, being named Dally M Lock of the Year in 2004 before retiring as a Dragon in 2006. Works for St George Illawarra Dragons as partnership management and growth executive.
After scoring 24 tries in 1999, Nathan Blacklock scored 25 in 2000 and 27 in 2001, eventually leaving the Dragons after the 2004 season for Hull FC where he spent two years before his retirement. Has returned to his home town of Tingha and remains involved with the game at local and elite level, helping to coach the NSW Koori Under 16s team earlier this year and taking part in Blues coach Brad Fittler’s annual Hogs For Homeless motorbike ride.
Anthony Mundine left rugby league midway through the 2000 season to take up boxing where he became a four-time world champion. Fought in many of Australia’s biggest bouts and beat Danny Green at SFS in 2006. He is preparing to take on legendary Muay Thai fighter John Wayne Parr at Cbus Super Stadium on November 30.
Trent Barrett during his playing days at St George Illawarra.
New Zealand prop Craig Smith played two more years at the Dragons before spending three seasons at Wigan in the Super League, eventually returning to the NRL to play the final two years of his career in 2005 and 2006. Worked in a variety of off-field positions with Newcastle Knights since his retirement, including coaching, team manager and player welfare roles.
Nathan Brown was forced to retire after suffering a neck injury in a trial game in February 2001, taking over as the Dragons' Jersey Flegg coach in 2002 and first-grade coach the following year. Coached the Dragons from 2003-2008. Moved to England where he coached Huddersfield and St Helens, winning the Super League title with Saints in 2014. Newcastle Knights head coach from 2016 until parting ways with the club late in 2019 season.
Chris Leikvoll left the Dragons at the end of the 2003 season and spent four years in the Super League with Warrington. Works in the mining industry in Wollongong.
Lance Thompson left the club at the end of 2005 after 11 seasons as a Dragon, playing the final three years of his career at Cronulla. Passed away in August, 2018, aged 40. He was a father of three and had been involved in coaching, as a player agent and the hospitality industry.
Darren Treacy left the Dragons in 2001 and played one season with Salford before joining Parramatta for the 2003 season. Works as a coal miner in Newcastle.
Wayne Bartrim departed the Dragons at the end of 2001 and finished his career with a two-year stint with the Castelford Tigers. Lives in Brisbane and works as an electrician.
Craig Fitzgibbon joined the Roosters ahead of the 2000 season, spending a decade at the club and winning the Clive Churchill Medal (in 2002), Wally Lewis Medal (in 2004) and Dally M Representative Player of the Year (in 2004). Long-serving member of Sydney Roosters assistant coach. Also coached NSW Country in 2016-2017.
Illawarra Steelers great and that club's leading point-scorer Rod Wishart retired at the end of the 1999 season in his one and only season at the joint venture. Wishart is a member of the Illawarra Team of the Century. Now the director of Wishart Paints.
Twelve-time Australia international Brad Mackay left the NRL after the 1999 decider and played the 2000 season with Bradford in the UK. Became a firefighter after retirement and helped found the Joanne Mackay Breast Cancer Foundation after losing his wife in 2002.
Colin Ward left the Dragons after the 2001 season and played his final two NRL seasons at Penrith. Started his own business after completing a Bachelor of Business majoring in Finance and Accounting.
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