Wigan Warriors assistant coach Paul Deacon has opened up on his move back to rugby league, and how a phone call with Matt Peet sealed his return.
The Bradford Bulls legend left rugby league in 2015, after four years post-playing on the Warriors coaching staff.
He joined Sale Sharks in rugby union in July of that year, and worked his way up to the head coach role in December 2020.
Deacon stayed in that position until the end of the 2024-2025 Premiership season, and that is when he made his return to the 13-man code, however it is a career path he never thought he would go back to.
After being a guest on Sky Sports’ The Bench podcast, the ex-half-back revealed just how he made his return to the sport he was a superstar in throughout the 2000’s.
“I was sort of unemployed for a few months last summer,” Deacon revealed. “My contract ran out at Sale and they wanted to go in a different direction, so it was the first time that probably happened to me.
“I was wondering what the hell I was going to do next, and then Matty [Peet] spoke to me straight away. Me and Matty go back quite a while. I was sort of his assistant when I first started coaching back at Wigan the year I retired.
“He rang me and was speaking to me, really, about could you do anything back in league? I was like, yeah, I’d be interested.”
He continued: “It’s funny how things work out. I never thought I would come and play for Wigan back in the day and it sort of happened again in a way.”
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Wigan Warriors coach explains unique role after rugby league return
Deacon has been given quite an unusual role in the coaching setup, one that is not often thought about, but it is one that is proving to be quite effective for the Cherry and Whites.
“Matty wants me to keep a close eye on the first and last plays, so the transition of the game really,” he explained.
“I brought a few ideas I learned in Union because it’s a big part of that game, which is obviously a different game altogether, but there are certain elements of it that I’ve been able to bring over and just have a real focus on that area.
“I do believe, and Matty believes, that last plays do win games, big games, when it matters. The way you finish sets is so important in this game. The closer you can start to an opponent’s try line defensively, if you can do that over and over again consistently, you’re in for a good day.”
