Luckless Paul Deacon has suffered a relapse and undergone further surgery in a desperate bid to cure his facial injury.

And the Bulls scrum half is likely to miss the clash with Wigan tomorrow night as the player and club wait to see if the operation has proved successful.

Deacon had the middle of his face virtually reconstructed following a sickening injury while on Great Britain duty last November.

He completed a remarkable recovery though, was in training just six weeks later and has played in every Super League game so far.

However, the 27-year-old came off late in the loss at St Helens last Friday with his face having badly swelled up.

Brian Noble said it was purely

precautionary but the injury has

continued to trouble Deacon since, prompting an emergency appointment with his specialist.

And the Bulls boss revealed: "He had some minor surgery on it yesterday. There's nothing broken and I have to emphasise that - Deacs has not broken his cheekbone again.

"The specialists just think there is some infection in there and that's why it's been swelling up like it has.

"They reckon one of the metal plates itself got infected but they've had a look, cleaned things up and now put him on some antibiotics.

"We don't think it's as bad as it sounds but he's very doubtful to play against Wigan."

Deacon's cheekbone and upper palate were both broken after a stiff arm tackle from New Zealand's Nigel Vagana. At one point medics feared for the player's life as blood vessels at the back of his mouth were also smashed causing massive bleeding to his throat.

Deacon had major surgery with titanium plates screwed into his face on either side of the nose but has since bravely battled back against the physical and mental scars of such an horrific blow.

Bulls' vice-captain has taken plenty of big hits during the opening six rounds of Super League but got his first real painful knock during training last week when he was caught in a tackle by team-mate Karl Pryce.

There was then inflammation

during the defeat at Knowsley Road but the Bulls hope to have their playmaker back firing fast, although he is unlikely to be risked against his home-town team at Odsal meaning Stanley Gene or Pryce could get a shot at scrum half.

Stand-off Iestyn Harris has recovered from the arm injury that saw him substituted at Saints.