No Old Trafford farewell is cruel blow for legend Ellis

The former Great Britain star hoped to bow out in fitting style by winning the Grand Final this Saturday, claiming the club’s first title since 1983 and completing an historic double after August’s Challenge Cup victory.

However, Ellis’s dream – and that of the Airlie Birds – was shattered as Hull fell just short 18-16 in an epic contest at Headingley.

Having lost at the same stage to Wigan Warriors 12 months previously, it was yet more agony in this competition for Lee Radford’s side who had overcome a 12-0 deficit to lead 16-12 before Liam Sutcliffe’s decisive try.

Instead, Leeds face Castleford Tigers – Ellis’s hometown team -– and he conceded: “It’s disappointing; it’s what I was dreaming of all year to make that journey to Old Trafford but it just wasn’t to be.

“I thought we didn’t play particularly well, especially in that first 20 minutes.

“Leeds had the better of the opening exchanges and they built on that a little bit.

“But we did come into it, played some rugby and put some points of our own on the board but it just wasn’t enough.”

Asked if it had sunk in that was, then, his final game of a stunning career that began with Wakefield Trinity in 1999, he conceded: “To be honest, I’ve been preparing myself the last couple of weeks with how games have gone; it’s been like knockout rugby.

“I thought I had been prepared for it but when that final whistle went and I obviously knew what the score was it all hit home I’ll never get chance to do that again.

“That is disappointing but I can’t have had a much better career than I have had and I’m real thankful for that.”

Ellis’s career has, indeed, been truly superb, a fact acknowledged not only by the ovation he received from Leeds fans on Friday – the club he graced for four years after leaving Trinity at the end of 2004 – but by colleagues, opponents, coaches and supporters from here, Australia and throughout the rugby league world ever since the match.

The formidable second-row, who has played mainly No 13 in recent years, enhanced his reputation as one of the modern era’s greatest forwards during four seasons with NRL club Wests Tigers after leaving Leeds in 2008.

Ellis then helped take Hull to new levels, famously leading them to their first Wembley win last year before retaining the Cup.

On Friday, his sheer desire and determination was perfectly illustrated when the 36-year-old chased down the breakaway Jack Walker – half his age at 18 – to ruin the Leeds full-back’s hopes of a try and then even recovered in time to help deny Brad Singleton.