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Rugby League

Bulls face anxious wait for Deacon

19/09/2007

Paul Deacon is set to be a last-minute decision for Bradford Bulls ahead of their Super League elimination play-off match against Wigan Warriors on Friday.

The club captain, who is also first-choice scrum-half and the team's goal-kicking specialist, has been out of action for several weeks with a hamstring injury.

He has made just one appearance for the Odsal outfit since the beginning of August but coach Steve McNamara revealed he has been training with the team with a view to starting in Friday's crucial fixture.

"He's been doing a lot of running with the medical staff but we won't know for definite until Thursday," he said.

"It's looking good but if he's not right, he won't play."

McNamara did admit that he would have to take a late decision on Deacon if it was revealed he was still only slightly short of full match-fitness by later this week, such is the player's importance to the Bulls' game-plan.

"If he's fit, he'll play. If he's 95 per cent fit then we'll have to make a choice," he continued.

"Hopefully there will be another game after this one and I don't want to jeopardise what could be a run to the grand final for us."