Gareth Ellis’s response to how he remembers the greatest moment in Hull FC’s history – their first-ever Challenge Cup victory at Wembley, 12 months ago – may surprise some people. “You move on from it, don’t you?” he tells the Observer ahead of Hull’s return to the final on Saturday. “I’ve been like that all my career; you play a game, you win and you celebrate and you move on to the next one quickly. It’s not until I sit down when I retire and reflect on everything where I will be able to look at what happened that day, I guess.”
The 36-year-old will be able to do so sooner rather than later after Hull’s captain confirmed last week, just days away from their Challenge Cup final against Wigan, that he would retire at the end of the season to take up a role in the club’s off-field department after rejecting a new deal to play on.
Yet there is no suggestion Ellis’ career, one of the finest of the modern era, will end with a whimper. The forward will eternally be associated with being the first man in a Hull shirt to hold the Challenge Cup aloft at Wembley. But with Hull just 80 minutes away from retaining the cup, Ellis admits both himself and his team-mates are intent on ensuring they create a legacy by the banks of the Humber next weekend.
“We’ve given ourselves a great opportunity to make some history,” he says. “It’s not been our greatest year yet but I don’t know if that leaves us perhaps nicely poised to go and step it up and go into uncharted territory for Hull FC.
“This group now have the chance to do something no Hull side has done before,” Ellis adds. “That excites me, even in the final few weeks of my career. Wembley is a big part of that. To retain the Challenge Cup would be a massive deal for this club and it’s not lost on any of us.”
Victory under the arch last year was Hull’s first at Wembley at the ninth attempt; so the pressure is understandably lifted from the shoulders of the reigning holders. But Ellis has also issued a warning to Wigan, saying Hull are arguably a better side for their experiences of 12 months ago, too.
“I think we’re just more confident going into it this time,” he insists. “As a club, a team and as players we’re going into that game with real belief. I think we’d be stupid if we hadn’t learned from our experiences of last year. I firmly believe we’re in a much better position. The thought of Wembley and knowing I’ve got another one to look forward to before I retire is very special.”
From a personal perspective, Ellis says he is determined to make the final few weeks of his career as fitting a finale as possible. With Hull poised to challenge for the Super League title as well as the Challenge Cup, there is no shortage of motivation to prepare for retirement by creating a slice of history with the Black and Whites.
“It could or it couldn’t be the perfect finish from here – but it is time to finish,” he says. “This is the dream – the fairytale finish I do think about, I must admit. I’ll be doing my damndest to make it a reality and I can put any doubts aside about retiring now. I can enjoy it and try and get the best out of it. It has the potential to be a special few weeks – and a special day at Wembley again for everyone involved.”
