KNEE re-construction and a shattered skull have failed to derail 18-year-old Ryan Owen from his mission to become the first deaf player in Super League.

The young Warrington prop forward had a metal plate inserted in his head following a horrific injury a year ago but he knows all about adversity, having been diagnosed as 70 per cent deaf at the age of 13, and has been hailed as an inspiration to other sportsmen.

Owen ignored doctors’ advice to stop playing rugby league and vowed his disability would not hold him back.

“He was told one big bang and he could lose the rest of his hearing completely because of the narrowing of the tubes within his inner ear and skull,” said Warrington’s player performance manager Ben Lazenby.

Owen’s determination was tested during a reserve match last season when, competing for a low ball, his skull was shattered and his eye socket pushed almost into his brain.

He underwent a six-hour operation in which a metal plate was fitted in the front of his skull to enable him to continue playing.

Optimum, a Wigan-based sports equipment manufacturer, designed a scrum cap specifically for Owen with additional padding around the plate and forehead as well as adjustments to accommodate his hearing aids.

“Obviously it’s a challenge for the coaches, ensuring he can lip read,” said Lazenby. “They have to make sure he can see the front of their faces.

“But he’s a pleasure to coach and the lads love him being around. He’s pretty inspirational to all of them.”