For the Hull game - assuming that its on. Ashurst and Kirke out. Wonder if the order is significant for starting line uop

Craig Hall

Chris Riley
Dean Collis
Reece Lyne
Richard Owen

Jacob Miller
Tim Smith

Nick Scruton
Paul McShane
Mickael Simon
Danny Kirmond
Danny Washbrook
Daniel Smith

Scott Anderson
Pita Godinet
Lopini Paea
Matt Ryan
Jarrod Sammut
Tom Johnstone
Ali Lauitiiti
Jon Molloy
Chris Annakin

Can't fault GE for his performance, commitment or attitude while wearing a Trinity Jersey.

I think you will find it was more to do with his agent using his contract to his client's advantage. He had one year left and he wanted to go to Leeds therefore the club faced the option of either accepting their offer or he stayed for the final year and then leave with the club getting nothing. We could not afford the latter so to Leeds he went.

This does not detract from the great servant he was for the club and he deserved the success the move to Leeds allowed him but let's not mistake manoeuvring with loyalty to his mates etc.

I was heavily involved at that club at this point and even though it's along time ago it went like this as far as I recall.

Gareth was hot property and despite us having a great season speculation was rife he would leave us.

The club made Gareth the biggest offer to a player we had ever made. He didn't refuse it he decided to wait till he was a free agent (smart boy). He did however clearly state he would honour his contract to the end at which point he would consider all offers including ours.

Now the dilemma!

Do we keep him an extra 6 month at which point he has no value or do we sell whilst we still can. As Gareth wouldn't commit which I think is the bit that annoys Chissitt (not bothered myself) we were forced to make a choice. Do we fight it out in the open market for a VERY wanted player or do we cut and run - probably wisely we did the latter, just because our offer was bigger than what Leeds allegedly/eventually paid him does not mean it would have stayed that way or been trumped by someone else.

The two clubs really in the running were Leeds and Bradford. We preferred Bradford because it was cash and players, Leeds if I recall was purely cash which was topped up after negotiations with Christmas friendlies. Jaimie Langely famously wouldn't demean his magnificent self to play for us and wouldn't be part of the swap so Leeds won.

Don't think Gareth put a foot wrong and played it fair but tough.

FWIW much as I liked Ted if we had had a more dynamic CEO at the time we may have just kept him by signing him before his contract ended but Ted was a wheeler dealer and he just couldn't resist sadly.

The only thing that bothered me about it was the timing. IIRC it didn't go through until the very end of december which given the deal was cash only left us nowhere to go player wise, Julian O'Neill effectively becoming his replacement which was a bit of a disaster. Off the back of a successful season in 2004 we ended up with a disappointing campaign and all the momentum was lost.

I enjoyed watching him play as much as the next fan, a talented player who always did his best for us,I don't know the man personally but I am more than happy to accept what people say that he's a decent bloke as well, neither do I have a problem with anybody leaving the club to further their career whether that be for financial gain alone or to win trophies' as well, disappointed yes bitter not at all lets face it at our club better players did it before and after him and sadly I can't see the trend reversing.
Admittedly it did not sit right with me at the time but it's water under the bridge really for me, last year I gave generously to the Andy Raleigh testimonial, why! because he was a Wakey player Ellis isn't and has not been for a number of years, he played more games for Leeds than us and if I was cynical I could ask why his testimonial isn't against them. As far as I'm concerned once players', coaches have gone they've gone, I don't normally go to friendlies unless it benefits the club which in this case it doesn't it goes to the player and rightly or wrongly I would sooner give my bit to something more worth while which in this case is helping out an amateur rugby club struggling to raise funds which fwiw is where the likes of Ellis and co come from maybe I could have worded it better as it was not mean't to offend anybody.