Deacon shines to put himself in frame for 'special' Grand Final

The 31-year-old former Great Britain scrum-half was expected to provide a mentoring role at the Warriors in what was going to be a one-off season in the twilight of his career after deciding to bring to an end a 12-year stint with the Bulls.

Deacon was meant to be cutting his teeth as a coach, as well as providing back-up to regular half-backs Sam Tomkins and Thomas Leuluai, but he has become a key member of a Wigan side that lifted the League Leaders Shield for the first time for 10 years and are 80 minutes away from becoming champions for the first time since 1998.

He has nothing but fond memories of his time at Bradford, where he broke the club's point-scoring record and won the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match in the 2002 Grand Final, but admits Saturday will provide one of the highlights of his career.

"It's unfair to say it means more but it's different and it's special," he said.

"Coming to a new club was an experience I'd never been through before and I've learned a lot about myself.

"I had to fight for my place in the team and that probably makes it very special for me for those reasons."

Deacon endured an injury-disrupted first half of the season at the DW Stadium but he benefited most from coach Michael Maguire's surprise decision to switch Tomkins to full-back for the last three months of the campaign.

The former Bradford skipper has started 10 of the Warriors' last 12 matches at stand-off but lost his place after picking up a hip injury in their opening 27-26 play-off defeat by Leeds.

He watched from the stand as his team-mates demolished Hull KR to reach the semi-finals and wondered if his chance to play in the Grand Final had gone.

"I was very fortunate to get another chance," he added.

"And we won that game so hopefully he'll give me another chance on Saturday at Old Trafford."