It will come as no surprise

to Bulls fans that erstwhile

juggernaut Warren Jowitt is

currently... wait for it... injured.

"It's the story of my life - my career full stop!" jokes the former Bulls

second-row, who spent a large part of his time at Odsal crocked.

It didn't stop there. The all-too-long spells on the sidelines followed him to Wakefield, Salford and Hull, while now, even playing part-time at Dewsbury Rams, he can't escape the inside of a physio's room.

"I'm carrying a back injury," Jowitt admits, a problem that annoyingly saw him miss the friendly with his former side last Sunday.

"I wanted to play in that because it's my last year and because it was Bradford but I'm having injections in this chuffing thing. Nothing changes."

You can only imagine the size of the player's medical insurance premiums as he rolls out his catalogue of pain and destruction, finally conceding it might be time to pack in.

Jowitt could have warranted his own bed in A&E and says: "This is my last year.

"It's gone too far with the injuries. I've had 12 operations - a knee

reconstruction, two shoulder jobs, four hernia ops, my pelvis bolted and plated, a groin relief op, while I had to have my thumb pinned and plated last year. That was the latest."

Given his style as a player - tough, uncompromising, constantly at full throttle - Jowitt was always in the middle of the action after signing for the Bulls in 1995.

Plucked from the relative obscurity of Hunslet Hawks, some fans were

asking Warren who? But the raw

21-year-old quickly repaid the faith shown in him by Matty Elliott and mastered the jump up from semi-pro to full-time rugby.

Often used as an impact player off the bench, Jowitt formed part of the

powerhouse pack that laid the

foundations for their debut Super League success in 1997.

Now, aged 32, he is bidding to put things back together instead of smashing holes in opposition defences and seeing his own body crumble away.

"I'm refurbishing properties and that includes all the lot - fitting windows, kitchens, all the woodwork and

joinery - the only thing I don't really do is re-wiring," reveals the former Stanley Rangers junior.

"I work for myself and still live in Wakefield. It's a lot different to life as a professional rugby player but I am enjoying it. It's a change. I've been at it about 12 months now.

"I had 13 years of full-time rugby and still play with Dewsbury but when you were doing it professionally, week in, week out, you can get tired of it all. It can get boring."

By trade an auto electrician plant

fitter at opencasts - "it's a dying trade" - Jowitt has employed his Rams' Aussie team-mate Kurt Rudder to help him in his new business.

But he still fondly recalls his days as a Bull and admits: "It was probably the best four and half years of my playing career, even if I did spend a lot of time injured.

"For coaching, it was second to none and I've not had coaching like it since.

"I always said Bradford were ten years in front of everyone and nowhere else I've been since has

been on a par."

The extent of Jowitt's injury

nightmare is highlighted by his stats from his Odsal career - just 53 games in those four and a half years - but it brought him his greatest memory.

"Winning the Championship in 97 when we went 22 games undefeated and set the record," he offers.

"It was a big year and I was having a good one - until I got injured. I broke my leg that season!"

The robust forward played enough games to earn the admiration of the Bradford faithful though before departing for Wakefield in time for the 2000 campaign.

And he has maintained his links with his former employers: "I keep in touch with Steve McNamara and speak to him quite often.

"I saw them all last weekend when Dewsbury played Bulls and it was great. We were straight into all the crack and I always enjoyed that.

"And I saw Brian McDermott in B&Q about two months ago. I'd not seen him for years but it was just like we'd never left the Bulls the way we carried on!"

Jowitt tipped off Bradford assistant coach McNamara about young hooker Joe Hawley, who has appeared in the Bulls' friendlies against Warrington and Dewsbury having come close to signing for the Rams. "I spoke to Steve Mac about Joe," he says.

"I rate him and think he'll be a good player. He's got a good attitude, is a good trainer and is the right sort of player Bradford are after.

"Against us, it was one of the best young Bulls sides I've seen for a long time. I played them last year and thought if that was all they had the club would have problems.

"But on Sunday there was a lot more quality and I reckon Matt Cook in

particular will be a big hit."

Jowitt hopes to be ready for his final fling as the Rams begin their season against Batley Bulldogs on February 12 - the same afternoon the Bulls open their defence of Super League at Wakefield.

"Dewsbury are definitely trying to go forward," he says about the LHF Healthplan National League Two favourites.

"The chairman is

second to none. I don't think he was really into rugby before he came here and he saw the Rams more as a

business venture.

"But he's got the bug now and done really well for the club. He has got us on an even keel, out of debt and is proving a

really good chairman."

Now all Jowitt is hoping for is to stay clear of anymore injuries and help his team-mates win that promotion.