I read the Malcolm Andrews column in this weeks RL Express, this bloke goes back years in Aussie rugby circles and reckons Ellis is the best English forward he has seen since Mal Reilly, thats a pretty big statement.

Especially as Ellis started off as mainly a centre or stand off if i'm not too much mistaken.

He played at centre a fair bit, but then that isn't that different to the wide running second row role. I think Wakey's use of Ellis as a SO was just an attempt to give their most dangerous runner more space.

What really shows that the NRL isn't the league of gods we sometimes thing, is that Ellis wasn't that great for us in his last season - I had him as our third best second row, with JJB and Ali both more effective.

No you are correct, which is evident by our international success against players from the NRL

Like the 3-0 tonking on the Kiwis the year before Ellis moved.

Not sure what your point is though, with half the players I mentioned as having had a better 2008 aren't eligible for England.