There is a fine line between bravery and stupidity.

Having played with a shoulder injury for almost three months, Matt Diskin finally over-stepped that mark in Sunday’s defeat at Warrington.

Discomfort turned to agony during the first half at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Every time Diskin attempted to make a tackle or even use his left shoulder he was met with the same searing pain. At that moment he knew his season was over.

“It’s really frustrating,” said the Bulls hooker. “I’ve had the shoulder problem since the away game at Hull KR and it’s gradually deteriorated since then.

“There’s a fine line between toughness and stupidity really and I’d crossed that so the medical staff decided they had to call time on it.

“They assessed the injury and told me I needed an operation. It’s not what I wanted to hear but I know I have to do it if I want to avoid permanent damage.”

The fact Diskin battled on for so long is testament to a player who has been happy to sweat blood for the cause this season.

Despite spending 13 years on the books at Leeds Rhinos before arriving at Odsal, he has had no problem switching loyalties.

And even though his former club sit comfortably in the play-off places while Bradford are languishing in tenth, the former Great Britain star has no regrets either.

“I have no regrets, none at all,” said Diskin. “I’ve gone over the reasons why I left Leeds a lot in the past and those reasons still stand.

“I’m enjoying my rugby again now and that’s the most important thing because I hadn’t enjoyed it for two or three years before coming here.

“I’m glad to be at a club that wants to have me here and, likewise, I want to be here.”

Diskin will undergo a shoulder operation tomorrow and hopes to be fully fit for the start of pre-season training in November. In the meantime, he wants to play whatever role possible in helping Bradford end a disappointing season on a high.

Although the majority of his time will be taken up by rehabilitation work, Diskin has warned his team-mates they won’t get away from him that easily.

He said: “The hardest thing about being injured is that you can’t take the field with your friends and try to correct things and help out.

“It’s so hard to sit on the sidelines. I’ve been there before and there’s nothing worse.

“I want to help out as much as I can without getting in the way, whether that’s on gameday or in the pre-match preparation.

“When you’re doing rehab you’re always the first to arrive and the last to leave anyway, so I’ll be around the place and I want to play my part.

“We’ve still got a chance of making the play-offs, however small.

“Mick (Potter) said the other week if you were a betting man you wouldn’t put your money on us. But we still believe we can make it, which is what makes the timing of this operation so difficult.”