Gareth Ellis

[sheepsteeth]

Apparently Mr Ellis is coming home next year!!!

should we be interested?

[Kittwazzer]

Read that he's heading back to the UK. Thing is, according to the tweet, he is bound for Cas which makes no sense at all. I'd have thought Leeds would be his obvious choice?

[josie andrews]

Ellis set for England return

England forward Gareth Ellis has announced he is to return home in 2013.

Sydney club Wests Tigers have agreed to release the former Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and Leeds Rhinos player from the final year of his contract in 2013 to allow him to return to Stobart Super League.

The 30-year-old had only agreed to a 12-month extension of his contract midway through last season but has decided to exercise a get-out clause that allows him to head back to the United Kingdom at the end of 2012.

The announcement will spark a flurry of interest from Super League clubs, with Ellis sure to be in big demand.

“It has been a major decision for Gareth,” Ellis’ manager David Howes told the Press Association.

“He feels the time is right to return home. He had an understanding with Wests Tigers about 2013 and they have been top class in the matter.

“They said they wouldn’t have any problem releasing him for family reasons, as long as he didn’t go to another NRL club.”

Ellis has taken out the Tigers’ player of the year award in each of his three seasons with the club since his 2009 debut and Howes believes he will have no difficulty obtaining a minimum three-year deal for his client.

“The job of finding a new club starts today,” he said. “I am anticipating plenty of interest.

“Gareth is an impeccable character, a role model on and off the field. He is also still very ambitious. He will be aiming to leave the Tigers as another Grand Final winner.”

Ellis still has a house in Wetherby, a purchase during his time with Leeds, and married long-time girlfriend Rachel last December, after completing his commitments with England in the Four Nations Series.

Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys told the club’s website www.weststigers.com.au: “Whilst we are disappointed, we have granted Gareth his wish to return to England at the end of this year.

“Gareth has been an integral member of the Wests Tigers team in recent years.

“He has taken his game to another level under club and Australian Test coach Tim Sheens and is held in the highest esteem by everyone at Wests Tigers.

“Gareth will leave Wests Tigers with our blessing - and hopefully an NRL premiership.”

http://www.superleague.co.uk/article/el ... urn/24466?

[eccywarrior]

id love see him here but we got enough forwards and from top of my head theres nobody out of contract or retiring.

[jobo]

We can't not be interested in a player of his class. Agree with an earlier poster though that he'll probably end up at Leeds, or that club who do not ever exceed the salary cap Warrington

[markill]

We can't not be interested in a player of his class. Agree with an earlier poster though that he'll probably end up at Leeds, or that club who do not ever exceed the salary cap Warrington

My thoughts exactly. His agent thinks he can get him big money on a three year deal. I don't think that fits in with us with the 2nd rows we already have committed to the club.

However, it fits in with Leeds and Wire. Leeds would find the cap room for him as Leuluai is leaving and maybe a Delaney could make way also - he already lost his starting line up jersey number.

Wire have unlimited cap space but do have two top class starting second rows and Grix and Harrison also there. Wouldn't be shocked but would be surprised.

If it is Cas, isn't he from there? If so, that might explain that - it literally would be going home.

[exile in Tiger country]

Could make a great replacement for George if we got him on maybe a two year deal, but the way Jack Hughes is playing, it's not anything I'm worried about.

[Kittwazzer]

Could make a great replacement for George if we got him on maybe a two year deal, but the way Jack Hughes is playing, it's not anything I'm worried about.

And Jack has 10 years on him!

[butt monkey]

Could make a great replacement for George if we got him on maybe a two year deal, but the way Jack Hughes is playing, it's not anything I'm worried about.

And Jack has 10 years on him!

As a side note to that, I read on the SKY comments that

stewart says February 28, 2012 2:12pm

Come back to Headingley Gareth, to replace Kylie who is in his last year. So room under the Salary cap for you and a very young squad in the making..

Had to laugh at the delusion of signing someone who will be 31 at the time he plays; for someone who will soon be 34 and deem that this is going to make them "a very young squad".

Apart from the three quarters that team needs some major rebuilding over the next few years (ditto the wire)

[TonyH]

Could make a great replacement for George if we got him on maybe a two year deal, but the way Jack Hughes is playing, it's not anything I'm worried about.

Pretty sure I wouldn't play Ellis in the centre considering he is an immense second rower.

Whilst he is a good player we don't need him, Liam Farrell will be immense in a few years, Hansen just gets better and better as well.