Ellis a better import than I was, says Hanley
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Wests Tigers back-rower Gareth Ellis has been described as the club’s greatest English import by the man many believed would hold that title forever.
Great Britain champion Ellery Hanley, named the greatest British rugby league player of all time in 2007, says Ellis’ feats in the black and gold eclipse anything he did for the club.
Ellis, who is confident of returning from a foot injury against the Bulldogs in round 18, has been named the Tigers’ player of the year in each of his three seasons at the club.
“He’s way up there (as one of England’s best ever imports) in my opinion,” Hanley, who is in Sydney to be inducted into the Tigers Hall of Fame at a gala dinner on Wednesday, said on Friday.
“I put him above even myself, and I believe that.
“I was a very honest player on the football paddock and did all the right things.
“(But) what he’s been very good at is being consistent. To be voted the player of the season by the Wests Tigers is absolutely wonderful.
“He deserves all the honours and big wraps he’s received. He’s been outstanding.
“There’s no question about it. He’s looked after himself and he’s a true athlete.
“It gives me great pleasure in saying that.
“To come from England and to play out in Australia in the hardest competition and to perform week in, week out consistently. He’s done a good job.”
While Ellis was humbled by the praise from Hanley, he had even better news for Tigers fans desperate to see him back on the field.
“I started running this week for the first time in about 11 weeks so that’s been different,” Ellis told AAP.
The 31-year-old, who will return to the English Super League with Hull FC at the end of the season, said while he is shattered to have missed so much of his final year with the Tigers he does see a silver lining in the injury-ravaged campaign.
A tough-as-nails player, Ellis typically is carrying half a dozen niggling injuries by the halfway mark of the year.
But by featuring in just four matches in 2012 due to a Jones fracture in his left foot, he believes the rest of his body has never felt better.
And that spells bad news for rival clubs when he makes a comeback with eight weeks left before the finals.
“There’s not many seasons you go through where you’re not nursing some injury throughout the year,” Ellis said.
“So to be able to have this time off during the year is not the greatest thing, but looking at the positives it should be a great addition to our squad when I get back.
“I’ll be a bit fresher. I can bring the boys through that are nursing injuries and add a bit of enthusiasm to the squad again.”
© AAP 2013
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The Crowd Says (5) | Page 1 of Comments
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- Gareth Ellis, NRL, Rugby League, Wests Tigers
June 16th 2012 @ 9:16am
Droppa said | June 16th 2012 @ 9:16am | Report comment
I dunno bout that,hanley got em to a GF on his own
June 16th 2012 @ 3:21pm
Balmainslipperyeel said | June 16th 2012 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
That he did…then he got dog shotted and knocked out by Terry Lamb in a disgraceful, unpunished act of bad sportsmanship.
June 16th 2012 @ 4:14pm
ScottWoodward.me said | June 16th 2012 @ 4:14pm | Report comment
Joe,
Very humble of Ellery to say that, especially given he doesn’t drink.
Ellis is certainly a wonderful player and probably the best modern day pommie forward I have seen play out here, but Ellery was in a class of his own.
Let me give you some examples;
* when Ellis has the ball you dont get that excited, but when Hanley had it, you would just watch with an expectation that something would happen – and it generally did.
* Hanley would be about $200k a season more expensive if both players were at their peaks and available at the same time.
June 16th 2012 @ 4:28pm
Dogs Of War said | June 16th 2012 @ 4:28pm | Report comment
But people also forget how poor Hanley’s time at the Magpies was. At the Tigers he was the missing piece, at the Magpies he was the only piece.
Used to love that window that allow the English players to come and have cameo run’s towards the end of season. As a Dogs supporter, watching guys like Garry Connelly and Johnathon Davies run around in the blue and white are some of the highlights of that era.
June 16th 2012 @ 11:55pm
turbodewd said | June 16th 2012 @ 11:55pm | Report comment
Im 37, I saw Ellery Hanley in his prime for the Tigers – he was amazing. A bit like Bo Jackson – amazingly powerful and bouncy thighs. Hanley was a gun. Ellis is just a good forward. Hanley was almost untackleable.