Friday Interview - Paul Deacon: Deacon takes familiar route on way to belated farewell

Given he spent 12 years at the Yorkshire club, winning every club trophy possible during their most successful era, forging a reputation as one of the game's top scrum-halves, breaking numerous records in the process and making life-long friendships along the way, it is only natural.

The one thing Deacon should not be sorry to see disappear, though, since his surprise off-season move from Odsal is the arduous daily grind of battling with the M62.

Taking hits from Super League's biggest forwards constantly trying to bully him out of a game is one thing but the tedious 106-mile round-trip from his Wigan home to Bradford must have been just as taxing, surely.

"I do miss it in a funny sort of way," said the former Great Britain scrum-half, ahead of returning to Odsal for the first time tonight as a Wigan player.

"I used to quite enjoy the journey with a car full.

"It was part of my day and I didn't mind it especially the last few years with Tez (Newton).

"He couldn't sit still so used to do the driving every day which was fine with me; I could chill out and listen to some music."

The various team-mates who have shared the cross-Pennine trek over Deacon's time at Bradford have illuminated the history of the club.

"The first lot was me, Mike Forshaw, Stuart Spruce and Bernard Dwyer," recalled Deacon, who joined from Oldham with just a handful of Super League games under his belt.

"I grew up quick in those years. I was 19 and travelling across that motorway with some experienced pros was a good experience.

"Later, there was just me and Forsh but then the next group was me, Rob Parker and Paul Johnson.

"We moved on from there with Tez (Newton) and a full car with Matt Cook, Michael Platt and Simon Finnigan.

"Finny then left so last season it was back down to four. Then at the end of last year, everybody left.

"Tez went to Wakefield, Cooky went to Hull KR and, when Platty found out I was going to Wigan, I don't think he was too impressed being left on his own.

"He wasn't really bothered about the rugby but was concerned about all the petrol he'd have to pay for."

Deacon's carbon footprint has certainly reduced since he switched to his home-town club – he lives five minutes away from Wigan's ground – but with the move happening during the off-season he never got the chance to say his farewells to so many Bulls colleagues.

"It will be a strange night for me," claimed the player, who was Bradford's captain for the last three seasons and who boasts a club points record total that is never likely to be surpassed.

"It'll be good to catch up with a lot of friends, not just players but people behind the scenes as well. Part of my heart will always be at Bradford."

Deacon, 31, still had a year left to run on his Odsal contract when Wigan approached him last autumn.

He had enjoyed a testimonial season and never envisaged leaving but the offer – which included a chance to start a coaching career mentoring the likes of England star Sam Tomkins – was too tempting.

"I couldn't really turn it down," he said. "It hinged on Bradford being able to find a replacement but they got a great one in Matt Orford. Both parties were happy and it's been good for me personally."

It has been good for Wigan as well. They arrive for tonight's fixture on top of Super League, having won all four fixtures so far.

All the talk has been about their new coach Michael Maguire masterminding the transformation of the once-golden club who have not won a league title since Deacon's first year as a rookie at the Bulls – 1998.

The Australian has replaced Brian Noble – the coach in charge at Bradford during their halcyon days of five successive Grand Finals between 2001-05 – and has developed a new mean streak in the Cherry and Whites.

They have the tightest defence in the competition which is not surprising given that Maguire was assistant coach at NRL premiers Melbourne Storm, masters of the much-maligned "wrestle" as Leeds Rhinos found to their cost on Sunday.

It is hard to imagine someone with as much experience as Deacon learning new tricks at this stage of his career but the 'old stager' admits his eyes have been opened by Maguire's input with regards tackle technique.

"He's a great motivator, I've found his team talks very good, but one of his main things is defence," he said. "Ask any coach and they want to slow the ruck and control the ruck.

"We worked hard on that in the off-season and he's brought a few things in I've never come across before.

"They seem to be paying dividends.... but I can't divulge them."

The playmaker has been used off the bench at Wigan, coming in at scrum-half to partner Tomkins when Kiwi World Cup winner Thomas Leuluai switches up to hooker.

The ploy is working well and Deacon said: "I've gone full circle.

"It's like when I first started at Bradford and I was coming on for Robbie and Henry (Paul).

"It's a little different to back then in that I'm getting on earlier and I still feel I've got a big part to play in the game."

DEACON AT BULLS

Signed from Oldham in 1998

Played in six Grand Finals, winning three. Took Harry Sunderland Trophy in the 2002 loss against St Helens

Featured in 2000 and 2003 Challenge Cup wins and won two World Club Challenges

Eclipsed Keith Mumby to become club's top points scorer in 2006, finishing Bulls career with 2,605.

Beat Mumby's goal-kicking record, finishing with 1,140.

Took over from Iestyn Harris as Bulls captain in 2007

Named in Bradford's team of century

Given a testimonial in 2008 after a decade's service

Won 11 Great Britain caps