Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Stephen John Ella
- Nickname(s)
- The Zip Zip Man
- Born
- Thursday, 28th July, 1960
- Current Age
- 63 years and 246 days
- Place Of Birth
- Mount Pritchard, New South Wales, Australia
Awards & Accolades
- Dally M Centre Of The Year
- 1982, 1984, 1985
Biography
Freakish attacking centre/five-eighth during the Eels’ premiership reign in the 1980s, Steve Ella's career was almost over before it started. A medial ligament injury in 1979 sidelined him for almost 18 months but Ella recovered to become the ‘Zip, Zip Man’ in the club's champion backline. A cousin of the famous Ella brothers of Australian RU fame, Steve Ella was a superbly gifted player with abundant pace, great anticipation and remarkable ball skills. He toured with the 1982 Kangaroos and scored 21 tries in 13 matches (no Tests) including 4 tries against Wales and 7 tries against Villeneuve. He suffered a second knee injury in the 1984 grand final but went on to play in Australia’s Test series victory against NZ in 1985. Ella was the season's leading try-scorer in 1985 with 21 tries and later played for Wigan in 1985-86. He scored 21 tries in 23 games (including 11 in two matches) and was named ‘man of the match’ in the club's Lancashire Cup victory. Ella played in P’matta's last premiership success, the tryless grand final in 1986. Not being overly robust, knee and shoulder injuries plagued his later career. After playing in England with Wakefield Trinity Ella retired in 1989 after missing many months through injury.
- ALAN WHITICKER
Playing Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
Competitions | ||||||||||||||
Competition | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NRL | 157 | 93 | 104 | 6 | 548 | 106 | 50 | 1 | 67.52% | List | ||||
NRL Finals | 19 | 7 | - | - | 25 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 73.68% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Australia | 13 | 22 | 3 | - | 72 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Test Series | 4 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
City vs Country Firsts | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
State of Origin | 7 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 28.57% | List | ||||
World Cup | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
Lancashire Cup | 2 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Wigan Warriors | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
English Championship | 28 | 19 | 18 | 2 | 114 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 53.57% | List | ||||
Regal Trophy | 7 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 85.71% | List | ||||
Challenge Cup | 3 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
National Panasonic Cup | 5 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 37 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 80.00% | List | ||||
Yorkshire Cup | 3 | 1 | 14 | - | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
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Test Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1982-83, 1985 | 5 | 5 | - | - | 16 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60.00% | List | |||
International Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Rest Of The World | 1988 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
World Cup Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Australia | 1982-1985 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
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Australia - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
NSW | 1983-85 | 7 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 28.57% | List | |||
NSW City Firsts | 1983, 1985 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1983-1985 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 44.44% | List | |||
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NRL/NSWRL - By Year | ||||||||||||||
Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Parramatta | NSWRFL 1979 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
Parramatta | NSWRFL 1981 | 18 | 14 | - | 1 | 43 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 83.33% | List | |||
Parramatta | NSWRFL 1982 | 25 | 23 | 10 | - | 89 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 80.00% | List | |||
Parramatta | NSWRFL 1983 | 27 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 77 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 74.07% | List | |||
Parramatta | NSWRL 1984 | 26 | 12 | 30 | - | 108 | 19 | 7 | 0 | 73.08% | List | |||
Parramatta | NSWRL 1985 | 21 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 68 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 71.43% | List | |||
Parramatta | NSWRL 1986 | 14 | 7 | 11 | / | 21 | 52.38% | - | 50 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 57.14% | List |
Parramatta | NSWRL 1987 | 2 | 1 | 4 | / | 5 | 80.00% | - | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00% | List |
Parramatta | NSWRL 1988 | 20 | 5 | 39 | / | 57 | 68.42% | - | 98 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 35.00% | List |
NRL/NSWRL - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Parramatta | 1979, 1981-88 | 157 | 93 | 104 | 6 | 548 | 106 | 50 | 1 | 67.52% | List | |||
English Career - By Year | ||||||||||||||
Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Wigan | 1985/86 | 23 | 21 | - | - | 84 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 82.61% | List | |||
Wakefield | 1988/89 | 20 | 9 | 32 | 2 | 102 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 40.00% | List | |||
English Career - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Wigan | 1985 | 23 | 21 | - | - | 84 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 82.61% | List | |||
Wakefield | 1988 | 20 | 9 | 32 | 2 | 102 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 40.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1985-1989 | 43 | 30 | 32 | 2 | 186 | 27 | 13 | 3 | 62.79% | List |
Contributions:
Paul Carter, Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Rugby League Tables, Greg Fiveash, Steven Russo, AJ Lucantonio, Alan Katzmann, Bill Bates
Sources:
NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1987-88, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1986-87
Your Say
26/01/2010
In 2000, Steve Ella carried the Olympic torch on day 82 of the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch relay.
12/09/2021
Steve also coached the Eden tigers
01/06/2023
i love bacon
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