Rugby League legend Gareth Ellis to retire after 21-year playing career in 477 games for both club and country

One of the modern day legends of rugby league, Gareth Ellis, has confirmed he's bringing the curtain down on his 21-year playing career.

The former Hull FC captain, aged 39, will take up a role on the club's coaching staff next season.

Ellis's career spans back to 1999 with him going on to play 477 career games for both club and country, including 33 international caps for England & Great Britain, and 88 career tries.

After making over 100 appearances for Wakefield, Ellis moved on to Leeds Rhinos where he was part of the side who clinched back-to-back Super League Grand Final wins and a World Club Challenge triumph.

One of the most revered players in the modern era, Ellis headed down under in 2009 to play for Wests Tigers in the NRL, making a huge impact during his three-year stay, winning the club’s Player of the Year honour three years in succession and nominated for the Golden Boot award.

He returned to Super League in 2013 with the Black and Whites, playing in three Challenge Cup Finals.

Ellis became the first Hull FC captain to lift the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 2016 with a memorable win over Warrington, before repeating the feat 12-months later with victory against Wigan.

The 39-year-old was named in the Super League Dream Team for a fifth time in 2016, as well as being nominated for the Steve Prescott Man of Steel award alongside team-mate and eventual winner Danny Houghton.

Having originally retired at the end of the 2017 campaign, Ellis made a surprise return from retirement to play his 100th game for the club against Wigan as the club felt the effects of a significant number of injuries.

However, such was his continued impact on the team he continued to play on into 2020, making 28 further appearances before injury finally curtailed his swansong.

Ellis said that whereas the decision to retire at the end of the 2017 season was very difficult and one he wrestled with for some time, this time around it was much more straight forward.

Hull FC’s Chief Executive, James Clark, paid tribute to Ellis, describing him as the 'consummate professional' and ' one of life’s good guys with true family values'