Gareth Ellis has not ruled out continuing his playing career at Huddersfield on Sunday – but admits the next few days will determine whether he can go through it all again after coming out of retirement over the weekend.
Ellis ended his 18-month spell in retirement during Hull’s dramatic 23-22 win at Wigan on Sunday, their first win of the new season after 13 consecutive losses stretching back to last June.
However, the spotlight fell firmly on Ellis’ playing future afterwards, and whether he will put his hand up to play against the Giants this Sunday.
He said: “I’ll have to see what happens – tomorrow (Monday) morning will decide whether I can do it all again.
“I could sense I was going to join in with training after the reserve game (against Wakefield which he played in). I do that sometimes anyway to fill up the numbers, but I’ve actually been in full training this week.
“It was hard, really hard. It’d have been nice to have some more preparation but the reality was that when Scott (Taylor) got suspended, it made Radders ask me how much fitness stuff I’d been doing. I said not enough, but I’d put my hand up when needed.”
Ellis did admit, however, that he has rediscovered a ‘spark’ for the game in recent months, hinting he may not return to retirement again just yet.
He said: “From being football manager for a year and now going into coaching, you sort of feel like you’re getting your place back at Hull FC.
“Then to throw this back in takes that away, and there’s a lot to consider. One is whether I can do it for the next few weeks or however long it is, and the other question is: do I want to? Do I want to get back in that grind and routine again? That’s another question. In theory I’d love to say now that I’ll do it again but there’s a reason I retired.
“With 12 months out of the game though, you find the love for the game again – sitting and watching it. I got a bit nervous initially but there’s definitely a spark again.
“You realise that there are thousands of people trying to play Super League and you’ve got an opportunity to try and do it again – and cherish it. I tried just to enjoy it, and when you win in the manner we did on Sunday it’s a great game to be involved in.”
