Andy Ellis

Stargazer

A separate topic, because I think he's one of the players most loyal to his club, region and country and a great rugby player. NZ rugby is going to say farewell to quite a character at the end of this Super Rugby season. I'm sure there'll be a considerable number of (Crusaders) fans, who'll miss seeing him on the NZ rugby fields. Good on him to end his Super Rugby career before he's pushed out of his jersey by a younger player!
 
Hoping this will be a topic without the usual mud-slinging ...


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Ellis announces 2016 Super Rugby season will be his last 
 Sunday, May 15, 2016 allblacks.com Getty Images 
 As BNZ Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis prepares to notch up his 150th Super Rugby game this weekend, he is also preparing for his days in red and black to draw to a close, with the announcement that the 2016 Investec Super Rugby season will be his last. 
 Ellis joined The BNZ Crusaders in 2006 after debuting for Canterbury the previous year. His intelligent and aggressive style of play soon caught the attention of national selectors too and he made his first All Blacks appearance later that same year. 
 In announcing his intention to retire from Super Rugby at the end of this season, Ellis said he had loved every minute in the red and black jersey. 
"I love this team as much now as I did when I was growing up dreaming of a one day making it this far. It has been a privilege and an honour to represent to the Crusaders for the past 10 years and, to be honest, I don't really want it to end. But I have thought my decision through carefully and it is really important to me that I finish on a high and while I am still loving it, so I know this is the right thing for me to do. I will give absolutely everything I've got to this team for the rest of the 2016 season and then leave here with no regrets," Ellis said. 
BNZ Crusaders the head coach Todd Blackadder said Ellis would leave a big hole in the team when he goes. 
"Andy has such enormous character and such boundless energy that he makes a huge impact on those around him. He has been an important leader in this group for a number of years now and has really helped to shape this team. We have been lucky to have a player of his calibre for 150 games and counting, and we will be very sorry to see him go. But there is no doubt he will leave a legacy here, particularly in the way he has helped to mentor and develop our younger players," Blackadder said. 
"On behalf of everyone at the BNZ Crusaders, we wish Andy the very best for his 150th game this weekend, and we look forward to celebrating this occasion and the rest of the season with him." 
BNZ Crusaders CEO Hamish Riach also noted Ellis' immense contribution to the team: "Andy has been a fan favourite for many years with his ready smile and skillful play. He is also a favourite amongst his teammates and the wider staff though, and his humour and friendship will be sorely missed around here. We thank him for the huge contribution he has made and we congratulate him on reaching the impressive milestone of 150 games for the BNZ Crusaders. We will enjoy every minute we have with him for the rest of the season and then farewell him appropriately when the time comes." 
Ellis will continue to play for the Kobelco Steelers club in Japan, who he joined in 2014, after retiring from super rugby. 
Ellis will become just the third Crusader to play 150 games for team when they host the <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.ticketdirect.co.nz/event/details/138469/crusaders-v-waratahs'>Waratahs this Friday night</a> in Christchurch. Ellis said it would be special to mark the occasion in front of a home crowd. <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.ticketdirect.co.nz/event/details/138469/crusaders-v-waratahs'>Tickets available here</a>.
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MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="580041" data-time="1463356438">
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A separate topic, because I think he's one of the players most loyal to his club, region and country and a great rugby player. NZ rugby is going to say farewell to quite a character at the end of this Super Rugby season. I'm sure there'll be a considerable number of (Crusaders) fans, who'll miss seeing him on the NZ rugby fields. Good on him to end his Super Rugby career before he's pushed out of his jersey by a younger player!
 
Hoping this will be a topic without the usual mud-slinging ...
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Only if Canes4life doesn't join in

taniwharugby

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="580042" data-time="1463356718">
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Only if Canes4life doesn't join in
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Are a few others that always put the boot into Ellis at any chance.
 
He;s an interesting player, always been good enough, or in form, but just not often the type of player the ABs have been looking at, despite being there at the key moment of 2011.
 
Shame he's off, always struck as the kind of player that would just keep on keeping on in NZ, but cant blame him, guess he has decided that he wont ever play in Black again and time let the next generation come through in red and black, and to make some coin!
 
Very good super rugby player.

mariner4life

Cheers Andy for that work in 2011, I'll always remember the way you controlled the forwards in that final. 
 
Good career, and a retirement package well deserved. Crusaders are losing a good 'un

Wurzel

Farewell Andy. A true Red & Black and holds a special place in New Zealand rugby for keeping his cool in the final 20 minutes of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Also got sent to Queen St Wendy's at 2am that night to collect an order for the entire squad. Cant's imagine Justin, Byron or Sharky doing that.

Chris B.

Probably good timing - he's 32, will be 33 before the next Super season starts - not going to get any better and Drummond should be ready to step up - he's had plenty of Super starts now.
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">Cheers Andy for that work in 2011, I'll always remember the way you controlled the forwards in that final.
 
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Yep - that's not a bad career highnote. He's got a well-earned World Cup winner's medal.
 
I'll never forget him stepping up to the plate, where lesser men might have quailed, and using his trusty right foot to make that booming touch-finder to win us the Cup. :)

antipodean

150 Super Rugby games is an excellent effort considering how short the Super Rugby season has been. Great to see dedicated clubmen like that too. All Black, RWC winner, Super Rugby champion, it's an impressive resume and a well deserved retirement. Superb servant of New Zealand rugby.

MN5

He's a guy who has been criticized on here but there have always been guys who've stood up for him.
 
Daniel Braid never had that.
 
For all the players who fuck off overseas there are the ones who play out their careers here for whatever reason. I guess big bucks aren't necessarily a big driver for a lot of guys.

Crucial

Kudos to Ellis for sticking with it here for so long when he is obviously no longer needed/wanted in the ABs.
 
Any sticks and stones I have thrown his way have been to argue why I agree that the AB selectors are heading in the right direction without him.
 
He gets my respect for his deeds in Black.

Chris B.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="580064" data-time="1463358832">
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I guess big bucks aren't necessarily a big driver for a lot of guys.
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Someone like Ellis, with 10+ seasons at the Crusaders, a reasonable amount of time with the ABs and already one Japan sabbatical - must have earned at least a couple of million from playing rugby. Doubtless got some endorsements as well, earnings from his landscaping work - plus whatever his wife might do.
 
If he's invested wisely, he'll be pretty well set up financially - can top it all off with a couple of seasons in Japan - have a post-rugby career path sorted and eloquent enough to do a bit of media work if he wants to.
 
It comes down to "how much money do you need?"

taniwharugby

plus the royalties from his boy band ;)

Rancid Schnitzel

I was never a fan but he stepped up big time in the 2011 SF (remember the blood pissing out of his nose) and of course the final. It was complete bullshit that he didn't get an AB callup in 2012 and 2013 when he was probably in the best form of his career. 
A great servant of NZ rugby.

No Quarter

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="580070" data-time="1463359357">
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Kudos to Ellis for sticking with it here for so long when he is obviously no longer needed/wanted in the ABs.
 
Any sticks and stones I have thrown his way have been to argue why I agree that the AB selectors are heading in the right direction without him.
 
He gets my respect for his deeds in Black.
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The only sticks and stones I have thrown his way is that he has never been anywhere near the level of Aaron Smith (who has?), but a certain poster likes to troll the rest of us on that... :)
 
Very good player and deserved his test caps, and is a bit of a legend when it comes to Super rugby. Respect.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="580072" data-time="1463359804">plus the royalties from his boy band ;)</blockquote>
 
Although I hear he's no longer invited to the photo shoots with his new balding look, so the money might not be flowing anymore.... 
Always felt more at ease as a Canterbury and Saders fan when he was on the field. There is a grit to his game that has been valuable over many years. 
He had an excellent pass early on in his career but as time went on it got loopier and slower. But he has maintained a superb kicking and tackling game throughout and that's why he has been a more reliable option for long time. 
At Super and NPC level he has been one of the best support players in attack. And whilst he has played pretty well this season, he has looked a yard slower from my view. 
150 games is a massive milestone for a physically demanding comp like super rugby.

jegga

Good on him , he proved his critics wrong in the best possible way in 2011 . Good luck to him . 
Hasn't he got a successful business in Christchurch ?

kiwiinmelb

Probably would have played more tests if we still played in the mud like we did in the old days , 
 
And I mean that as a compliment because he is a very good wet weather halfback

Canerbry

SHIT HE IS SHIT HE WAS SHIT HE IS SHIT

jegga

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canerbry" data-cid="580164" data-time="1463383995">
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SHIT HE IS SHIT HE WAS SHIT HE IS SHIT
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Victim mentality is an acquired (learned) personality trait in which a person tends to regard him or herself as a victim of the negative actions of others, and to behave like it were the caseâ€”even in the absence of clear evidence. It depends on habitual thought processes and attribution.
The term is also used in reference to the tendency for blaming one's misfortunes on somebody else's misdeeds, which is also referred to as victimism.<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victim_mentality#cite_note-1'>[1]</a>
Victim mentality is primarily learned, for example, from family members and situations during childhood. It contrasts with the psychologically better-researched traits of <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroticism' title="Neuroticism">neuroticism</a>. Neuroticism may be defined as general emotional instability or a generally enhanced tendency to experience negative emotions. <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoticism' title="Psychoticism">Psychoticism</a> is characterised by hostility and aggression.
What victim mentality, neuroticism and psychoticism have in common is a relatively high frequency of negative emotional states such as anger, sadness, and fear. But these three traits are also partially independent: for example a given individual may have a high degree of victim mentality and a low degree of neuroticism, in which case a clinical psychologist is unlikely to regard her or him as needing treatment. Conversely, a given individual may have a high degree of neuroticism and a low degree of victim mentality
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victim_mentality'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victim_mentality</a>

Canerbry

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="580166" data-time="1463384843">
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Victim mentality is an acquired (learned) personality trait in which a person tends to regard him or herself as a victim of the negative actions of others, and to behave like it were the caseâ€”even in the absence of clear evidence. It depends on habitual thought processes and attribution.
The term is also used in reference to the tendency for blaming one's misfortunes on somebody else's misdeeds, which is also referred to as victimism.<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victim_mentality#cite_note-1'>[1]</a>
Victim mentality is primarily learned, for example, from family members and situations during childhood. It contrasts with the psychologically better-researched traits of <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroticism' title="Neuroticism">neuroticism</a>. Neuroticism may be defined as general emotional instability or a generally enhanced tendency to experience negative emotions. <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoticism' title="Psychoticism">Psychoticism</a> is characterised by hostility and aggression.
What victim mentality, neuroticism and psychoticism have in common is a relatively high frequency of negative emotional states such as anger, sadness, and fear. But these three traits are also partially independent: for example a given individual may have a high degree of victim mentality and a low degree of neuroticism, in which case a clinical psychologist is unlikely to regard her or him as needing treatment. Conversely, a given individual may have a high degree of neuroticism and a low degree of victim mentality
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victim_mentality'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victim_mentality</a>
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Circle jerk (sexual practice)

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<div style="font-size:12.88px;">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div>
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A circle jerk is a <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sexual_activity' title="Human sexual activity">sexual practice</a> in which a group of men or boys form a circle and <a class="" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masturbate" title="Masturbate">masturbate</a> themselves or each other. In the metaphorical sense, the term is used to refer to <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_chamber_(media)' title="Echo chamber (media)">self-congratulatory behavior or discussion amongst a group of people</a>, usually in reference to a "boring or time-wasting meeting or other event".<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_jerk_(sexual_practice)#cite_note-Murphy2001-1'>[1]</a>
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Canes4life

Bryn Hall is probably likely to be the Crusaders third halfback next season. No room for him at the Blues so if he stays in N.Z he'll most likely find his way down to CHCH.

The Silver Fern

Andy Ellis