SFS a happy home for Ellis

[Guest]

SFS a happy home for Ellis
Ian McCullough
September 9, 2010 - 7:04PM

AAP

The Sydney Football Stadium holds special memories for Wests Tigers' English backrower Gareth Ellis.

Four years ago an unheralded Great Britain team stunned a star-studded Kangaroos side 23-12 in a Tri-Nations clash at the SFS to chalk up a first win on Australian soil since 1992, with Ellis playing a key role.

The venue also saw the Yorkshireman score his first-ever NRL try, in a memorable come-from-behind 26-22 win against Manly in the opening round of this season.

So understandably Ellis is delighted with the Tigers' decision to play their first finals game in five years against Sydney Roosters there on Saturday, with a capacity crowd of over 40,000 expected.

And despite the clash being played on the Roosters' home patch, Ellis believes that factor will have no outcome on the result.

"I really enjoy playing at the SFS, I have some really good memories of playing there both with the Tigers and England," Ellis told AAP.

"Forty-odd thousand screaming fans being there will make it extra special as that is what you play the game for, the big games are what you want to be involved in and I am sure our fans will turn out in droves and get behind us.

"The beauty of the SFS is that it is a football stadium and designed for football, finals haven't come around too often for the Tigers and this is a great opportunity for us."

Ellis, who won two Super League grand finals with Leeds Rhinos, before making the move to the Tigers in 2009, admitted he has been blown away by the build-up to the match.

"Back home the media coverage and publicity is a lot lower, here it is massive and that makes it even more exciting," he said.

"The way the game is over here and how big it is makes it really special to be involved in these games.

"After 26 rounds you are normally ready to get away, but with finals footy coming around it has put a spring in everyone's step, and not with just the players, but everyone connected to the club."

The 29-year-old warmly recalled that night in November 2006 when the Lions stunned Ricky Stuart's side for a rare win over Australia.

"It was great game for us, we were written off by a lot of people and no-one gave us a chance, and we went out and won," he said.

"It was one of the best moments of my career, and I remember speaking to Jamie Peacock after the game and we both said it was one of the best wins we had experienced.

"Unfortunately we went on to lose against New Zealand the following week and didn't qualify for the final which put a bit of a dampener on it.

"But hopefully the SFS can be a happy hunting ground again on Saturday."

 

[cunno]

Can't wait to see Gareth in action on Saturday night, he has a number of good memories from playing at the SFS, hope these continue with a win for him, the team and the club/members/supporters.

 

[Guest]

Ellis makes daddy of all finals treks
Christian Nicolussi From: The Daily Telegraph September 10, 2010 12:00AM

KEN Ellis has travelled all around England and Europe to watch his son Gareth play rugby league.

He was on the sidelines during Gareth's teenage years in the family's home town of Selby, in Yorkshire.

He was there during the tough days with Super League strugglers Wakefield. He was in the stands during the premiership with Leeds.

And he has watched his son play countless internationals for England.

But it's not often the proud father travels 17,000km to watch Gareth, who turned up with seven-month-old son Isaac to greet Ken at Sydney Airport yesterday morning, 36 hours before Wests Tigers play the Sydney Roosters at Sydney Football Stadium.

The 58-year-old Ken has flown halfway around the globe to see Gareth run out for the crucial clash.

He has only made the torturously long flight once before, to watch Gareth make his NRL debut last year.

On that occasion he stayed on to watch a few other games, including one against the Chooks. He remembers former Roosters bad boy Willie Mason shooting his mouth off.

"And you should see the amount of press Willie is getting over there now that he has signed with Hull KR," said Ken, as he tried to work out why Mason had created such a media frenzy in the Old Dart.

Ken has kept a close eye on the Tigers this season and because of Channel 9's delay on some games, he reckons "we sometimes see matches before you guys do".

A trip Down Under in September was always on the cards. And, boy, wasn't he delighted when Gareth and the Tigers were guaranteed a spot in the finals.

As he nursed grandson Isaac, Ken told The Daily Telegraph: "We've come a long way from playing with Wakefield and struggling with relegation, to now coming all the way out here to watch the NRL play-offs.

"This has been a really big thing for the whole family. My wife [Pam] was going to come out as well, but she's a teacher and with school back she couldn't make it.

"I'm here for a month, and hopefully that includes the grand final with the Tigers. I'll stop a bit longer to celebrate."

The joy in Ken's voice was obvious as he joked about the grey English-like weather early yesterday.

The passionate Castleford Tigers fan is delighted his son is affiliated with another club that bears the same emblem.

He tells told the story of how Castleford fans hated their strip so much last year that most of them felt more comfortable wearing Wests Tigers jumpers.

Asked for his verdict on tomorrow's Tigers-Roosters showdown, Ken said: "I think the Tigers will win. And all I'll say to Gareth is, 'play as you always do, play your best'."

Gareth is delighted to know his No. 1 fan will be at the game and confident the Tigers have the right ingredients to go all the way.

On a personal note, he has continued to make his presence felt in the NRL during his second season.

He is a rock in defence and tackled with plenty of venom against the Titans last Friday.

Gareth believes it is this part of the Tigers' game that can go a long way to delivering the club its first bit of silverware in five years.

"We've shown this year we've got extra steel in the way we play," Ellis said.

"The Tigers have always been known as an attacking team which can score 40 points, but concede 30 points at the same time.

"This year, with a bit of experience, we've learned to grind out wins, and that could be a key factor when it comes to meeting some of the top teams in the finals."

Ellis enjoyed seeing the huge media contingent that turned up to training at Concord Oval on Tuesday. He likened the hype surrounding the NRL to the English Premier League.

"The NRL finals speak for themselves," Ellis said. "Coming from England, where rugby league is known within its family, so to speak, here in Australia it is the No. 1 sport.

"The media coverage here is equivalent to what the soccer gets back home.

"That's one of the first things I became aware of."

Tigers recruitment manager Warren McDonnell talked shop with the Pommy international during the 2008 World Cup, about testing himself in Australia.

"Gareth has ended up being the most professional bloke I've ever had anything to do with in rugby league," McDonnell said. "He takes every game personally, he doesn't like getting beaten and leaves no stone unturned. We knew he was in England and a class act and [former Tiger] Mark O'Neill said he wanted to test himself here."

So impressed have the Tigers been with Ellis that not long ago they stretched his deal until the end of 2013.

Interestingly, Ellis played soccer for several years before he felt the need to "switch back to a real sport".

Should Ellis go on to win the premiership with the Tigers, he will become just the 12th person in recent history to win titles in both hemispheres.

According to stats guru David Middleton, Adrian Morley, who won the NRL final with the Roosters in 2002, then Bradford in 2005, is the only Englishman to have achieved the rare feat.

Ellis's countryman Mark Flanagan has also made his mark with the Tigers, while workhorse backrower Chris Heighington will pledge his allegiance to England for the Four Nations.

Ellis, 29, knows age could limit his opportunities for an NRL title.

Which is why he will do everything not to let this golden chance slip away.

And Ken Ellis will be cheering him every step of the way.