With his retirment from International Rugby confirmed today and his mounting injuries over the last couple of years its looking like it was a good decision not to bust the bank and bring him back for a last spell at the club.He doesn't look the player he was for Wests in his first couple of years over there and us before that.

Of course he may bounce back next year with Hull and have a quality injury free last couple of years but at this point its looking like we did well to steer clear.

A great player at Leeds and Wests and sure Hull will be hoping for what JP has given Leeds since his retirement from international rugby.

He's looked pretty solid in some of the Hull games I've seen, but he's surrounded by a lot of dross. He's never going to give superstar performances at this stage in his career, but can always play the sort of tough, high-intensity, error-free rugby that can allow others in his team to shine if they're good enough to take advantage of that. They're not.

He does seem to be picking up too many injuries though, and for that reason it's probably a blessing that Hull outbid us for his swansong.

He's still a very good player and defensively is as good as anyone around. It sounds to me like he may have had a heads up on not getting selected this year too though. He may get an extra year or twos play with a full offseason so this can only benefit Hull. McNamara should have him involved with the England set up too because he brings experience and knowledge and is a model pro.

Based on this season and his last 5 or 6 England games probably wouldn't have made the team anyway. Might well be able to get some of the old pizazz back with a full off season.

Retired before being dropped IMO.

Never regained his previous form after returning from down under.

nothing i have seen makes me regret us not signing him

He did us a favour picking Hull

Wouldn't be surprised if he went under the knife. Always looked like he was carry an injury this season.

he is having an op.wouldn't have played in the world cup because of it

I posted elsewhere i was pretty gutted when he had a change of heart and went to them but seeing him this year he looks 60% the player he used to be and i think we dodged a bullet.
H-I agree he COULD be still a very good player but he's way off the "Top Quality" BR we've seen him to be in previous years.

Ellis has looked a carbon copy of what he's looked like for England these last few years while he's been away. I can't comment on his Balmain career having not seen any of it bar the weekly highlight progs that Sky used to carry but it appears to have beaten the life out of him.

Him being nothing that special on the field at the moment doesn't make him unsuitable for SL though just as Morley has shown at Warrington despite returning a less dynamic player than the one that left.

Seeing him on the back of a full pre-season will be interesting, given how good JP has been this season.

His season was significantly disrupted by getting injured in the first game, and he doesn't seem to have hit his straps properly since he came back from that.

There's still time for him to come good in a Hull FC shirt IMO.

Whilst not seeing him at his best, he's enjoyed putting on some monster hits in defence.

He was under a lot of pressure I'd imagine to play games for Hull, wonder if he was rushed back?