Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Stephen John Ella
- Nickname(s)
- The Zip Zip Man
- Born
- Thursday, 28th July, 1960
- Current Age
- 65 years and 244 days
- Place Of Birth
- Mount Pritchard, New South Wales, Australia
Honours & Awards
Based only on data available in the RLP database. This information should be used as a guide only.
- World Cup
- 1985/1988
- Test Series
- France vs Australia 1982/83, New Zealand vs Australia 1983, Australia vs New Zealand 1985
- State of Origin
- 1985
- City vs Country Firsts
- 1983, 1985
- NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL)
- 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986
- Regal Trophy
- 1985/1986
- Lancashire Cup
- 1985/1986
- Midweek Cup
- 1986
- 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.
| Representative Career - International | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests (Senior International Matches) | - | 5 | 5 | - | - | 16 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60.00% | List | ||||
| Other International Matches | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| World Cup | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | ||||
| Tour Matches | Australia | - | 18 | 24 | 3 | - | 80 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 94.44% | List | |||
| Tour Matches | Wigan Warriors | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
| Test Series | 3 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Representative Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| State of Origin | 1 | 7 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 28.57% | List | ||||
| City vs Country Firsts | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| Club Career - Australia | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) | 4 | 157 | 93 | 104 | 6 | 548 | 106 | 50 | 1 | 67.52% | List | ||||
| NSWRFL/NSWRL Finals | - | 19 | 7 | - | - | 25 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 73.68% | List | ||||
| Preseason Cup | - | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
| Midweek Cup | 1 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 37 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 56.25% | List | ||||
| Club Career - UK | Comp Wins | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| English Championship | - | 28 | 19 | 18 | 2 | 114 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 53.57% | List | ||||
| Challenge Cup | - | 3 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| Regal Trophy | 1 | 7 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 85.71% | List | ||||
| Yorkshire Cup | - | 3 | 1 | 14 | - | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% | List | ||||
| Lancashire Cup | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
| UK Top Division | - | 28 | 19 | 18 | 2 | 114 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 53.57% | List | ||||
| Overall | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||||
| First Class | 249 | 163 | 145 | 9 | 884 | 186 | 87 | 4 | 74.70% | List | |||||
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 | ||||
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 | ||||
| NSW City Seconds | 1984, 1986 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
| Overall | 1983-1986 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 45.45% | List | ||||
NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - 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 | / | 22 | 50.00% | - | 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 | |
NSWRFL/NSWRL Premiership (NRL) - 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 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 121.74% | List | ||||
| Wakefield | 1988/89 | 20 | 9 | 32 | 2 | 102 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 55.00% | 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:
Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Paul Carter, Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Steven Russo, AJ Lucantonio, Alan Katzmann, Max Turner, Bill Bates
Sources:
David Middleton's Rugby League Yearbook (1987-88 to present), Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook (1981-82 to 1999), Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club
Your Say
26 Jan 2010 10:27am
In 2000, Steve Ella carried the Olympic torch on day 82 of the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch relay.
12 Sep 2021 12:27pm
Steve also coached the Eden tigers
1 Jun 2023 2:50pm
i love bacon
18 Jul 2025 5:04pm
One of the best. Highly skilled and a pleasure to watch.
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