Steve 'The Zip Zip Man' Ella

  • Playing Career

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


International

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


Representative

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
Overall1983-1985 9 4 0   0 16 4 5 0 44.44% List


Club Career

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
Overall1985-1989 43 30 32   2 186 27 13 3 62.79% List

Your Say

  • Paul Carter
    26/01/2010

    In 2000, Steve Ella carried the Olympic torch on day 82 of the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch relay.

  • Anonymous
    12/09/2021

    Steve also coached the Eden tigers

  • Anonymous
    01/06/2023

    i love bacon

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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