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Ellis' Best Is Still To Come
By Wayne Cousins
Former Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers back-rower Mark O’Neill believes Gareth Ellis still has plenty of improvement in him in the NRL.
O’Neill, the 47th player to be inducted into the Balmain Tigers Hall of Fame, played a significant role in convincing Ellis to make the move to the NRL and to join the Wests Tigers after playing with him at Leeds in the English Super League.
“To play with Gaz was a highlight. I had never played with a person who had just wanted to better himself more than Gaz,’’ O’Neill said.
“I was fortunate enough to play a game here and there with Ben Elias, Paul Sironen, Garry Jack, Ellery Hanley and Wayne Pearce. They all had a similar attitude but Gaz was the one that wanted to be the best he could be. It was infectious for the young players coming through at Leeds.
“When I returned to Sydney, I told the Tigers Gaz was the best player running around in Super League.
“Part of that was because of his defensive workload. He would come up in the line every time and we have now seen how he hits, he absolutely monsters people, and he does it for 80 minutes.
“The thing over in England and not many people would have seen it here is that he reminded me a lot of Bradley Clyde.
“He would get the ball off his own line 20 metres out and he could run the length of the field. He would run around the full-back and beat him. There is some great vision of Gaz doing that at Headingly in front of a packed house against St Helens.
“That is a big part of his game. I still believe Gaz has got more improvement in him despite how well he is going here now.”
Ellis said O’Neill gave him the self belief to test himself in the world’s toughest rugby league competition.
“Mark gave me the confidence to go to Australia and to do well in the NRL. It has certainly brought the best out of me. I’m very happy at Wests Tigers,’’ Ellis said.
“The difference between the Super League and the NRL is the strength of the competition here. Every week you hear how this is a big game, a must win game. It tests you mentally and physically.”
By Wayne Cousins
Former Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers back-rower Mark O’Neill believes Gareth Ellis still has plenty of improvement in him in the NRL.
O’Neill, the 47th player to be inducted into the Balmain Tigers Hall of Fame, played a significant role in convincing Ellis to make the move to the NRL and to join the Wests Tigers after playing with him at Leeds in the English Super League.
“To play with Gaz was a highlight. I had never played with a person who had just wanted to better himself more than Gaz,’’ O’Neill said.
“I was fortunate enough to play a game here and there with Ben Elias, Paul Sironen, Garry Jack, Ellery Hanley and Wayne Pearce. They all had a similar attitude but Gaz was the one that wanted to be the best he could be. It was infectious for the young players coming through at Leeds.
“When I returned to Sydney, I told the Tigers Gaz was the best player running around in Super League.
“Part of that was because of his defensive workload. He would come up in the line every time and we have now seen how he hits, he absolutely monsters people, and he does it for 80 minutes.
“The thing over in England and not many people would have seen it here is that he reminded me a lot of Bradley Clyde.
“He would get the ball off his own line 20 metres out and he could run the length of the field. He would run around the full-back and beat him. There is some great vision of Gaz doing that at Headingly in front of a packed house against St Helens.
“That is a big part of his game. I still believe Gaz has got more improvement in him despite how well he is going here now.”
Ellis said O’Neill gave him the self belief to test himself in the world’s toughest rugby league competition.
“Mark gave me the confidence to go to Australia and to do well in the NRL. It has certainly brought the best out of me. I’m very happy at Wests Tigers,’’ Ellis said.
“The difference between the Super League and the NRL is the strength of the competition here. Every week you hear how this is a big game, a must win game. It tests you mentally and physically.”
