Wigan Warriors coach provides insight into Paul Deacon appointment as admiration shared
Wigan Warriors assistant coach Paul Deacon
Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet has lauded newly-appointed assistant Paul Deacon and outlined his reasons for bringing the Super League legend back to his hometown club.
Having donned a shirt for Oldham at the start of his playing career and then established himself as a bonafide icon at Bradford Bulls, former Hindley amateur Deacon rounded off his playing days at Wigan.
Spending two seasons with the Warriors, he won a Super League Grand Final with them in 2010, and then joined the club’s coaching setup under Shaun Wane following his retirement.
More than a decade on from that initial appointment to the coaching staff, and after spending time in rugby union with Sale Sharks, the Cherry and Whites announced Deacon’s return earlier this week.
Wigan Warriors coach provides insight into Paul Deacon appointment as admiration shared
Now 46, ex-England assistant Deacon has linked up with Wigan ahead of Friday night’s crunch clash at home against Hull KR.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Warriors head coach Peet delivered high praise on Deacon, saying: “I’ve just watched him do some passing work on the field with Kruise (Leeming), Brad (O’Neill) and Tom (Forber).
“It’s another pair of hands and another intelligent mind. (He’s) opinionated, experienced and a great character, so it’s only going to bring positive things when you bring another coach in of that quality to collaborate with the team.
“He knows the club, he’s a rugby league man first and foremost, but he’s also had time in rugby union. That’s probably taught him new things, experienced new things, worked with some great coaches and players.
“His IP (intellectual property) has increased during that period, so he is rooted in rugby league, but he has also had some new experiences that he can share with us and collaborate with our coaching team. First and foremost, he is a cracking man.”
Deacon had been Sale’s Attack and Skills Coach until the end of the 2024/25 Premiership campaign, and has been appointed as an assistant coach by Wigan. He joins fellow assistants Tommy Leuluai and Sean O’Loughlin in that role.
Peet added: “We’re just a team of coaches; John Duffy, Tommy Leuluai, Sean O’Loughlin and then the lads in the academy.
“We all contribute, collaborate and share ideas and I get the privilege of being the head coach who gets to name the team and speak to the media, but other than that, it’s all hands on deck.”
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