see timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_le ... ost-6.html

see timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_le ... ost-6.html

I guess Ellis must be a quick learner then if he's been able to rectify all the alleged weaknesses and shortcomings he had ( according to his coach)when he arrived from the UK.
Good luck to him I hope he succeeds over there.

Just shows how poor the NRL must be when a player who can't do "the basics" gets into the team.

Nice bit of over exagerating there you two



All Sheens said was that he has had to teach him the basics in reading defensive structures that he would have assumed a 27 year old International would have know already. He has always stated that Ellis would start though. He's thier star signing this off season and has really impressed in the trials.

The coach is right, Ellis took a few wrong options on defence during the World Cup, something that he will be coached out of in Oz. Front on there's not many better tacklers in the game, teach him some decision making and you've got a world class player IMO.

I'd like to see his attacking skills improve while he's over there. He never did enough with the ball at Leeds IMO.

Spot on. Just because Ellis was a hard worker at Leeds and made some big hits doesn't make him a great defender. Look at his proportion of missed tackles - only marginally better than McGuire last season. Not sure if this reflects poorly on Ellis or well on McGuire though

McGuire's defence is underrated.

I agree. Statistically it is more than twice as good as Long and Briers for example. I can't think of many occasions when he has been at fault for opposition scores.

bit odd with the two refs isnt it?!

JT makes his debut this week also!

Hated it (on paper), will be interesting to see it in action.

Impossible to implement over here. We can't find seven for SL let alone fourteen.



Jonathan Thurston, Jamie Thackray, Juice Terry.... oh I get you now.

From bit ive seen this morning i find myself asking who is in control of the whole match

www.newtownjets.com/2009-news/NS ... -03-15.php

www.newtownjets.com/2009-news/NS ... -03-15.php

not a shock really TBF

What is it with these Aussies, twice as many refs and now twice as many subs.

If i had a contract from Castleford or a contract from Syndey knowing i'd possibly end up there then i know which id be signing!

Good luck to the lad, even training with the Sydney 1st team can only benifit Leeds if he returns.

yeah id agree with that, strangely

My comment was tongue in cheek but Sheens went a bit further than that. As well as commenting on how poor he reads defence he also said.



I actually agree wit much of what Sheens says. Ellis did virtually nothing offensively during his Leeds career and did fly out of defence a lot. Having said that it speaks volumes for our game that he was the best British 2nd rower around.

Klein's emigration has put paid to this idea for me. Until that happened I was relishing the prospect of his & Ganson's unique comedy double act taking charge of a bulls' game.

That is not the role of backrow forwards in Aus - they are simply tackling machines - so Ellis should do well - lets hope so - one thing is for sure no matter how well he does he will not win the Dally M - purely an Aussies preserve

We saw a preview of how that would have played out on the Footy Show last night. The two refs falling out in the middle and one giving the other 10 in the bin.



How Australian is/was Gary Freeman?

Spot the other former SL player in that team...

dunno but Hala Laula what a name!

Yeah, it'll take some getting into the team this year. Mini at full back is (by all accounts) showing his form that saw him the Australian FB 4 years ago. Then there is Braith Anasta and Mitchell Pearce who are both SoO halfs at 6 and 7. He was never going to start the season though. He has a couple of years to develop and maybe get a few games in too. He's has made the Roosters "top" squad though so I would assume that he will play some part throughout the season. Pretty much like at Leeds last year.