Ellis says he still has to prove himself

England international Gareth Ellis feels like he needs to prove himself again, when he finally makes his long-awaited return to Super League.

Ellis, 31, returned to these shores with Hull after four years Down Under, only to suffer a foot injury in the warm-up of their opening game against his former club Leeds.

The former Wests Tigers back-rower has been out of action since, but is hoping to return within the next month.

He said: “The end is in sight. I’m probably looking at another three or four weeks, and then I want it to be the end of this injury.

“It’s really frustrating. For all the England caps that I’ve got, and having played in Australia and for Leeds, I still feel like I need to prove myself again.

“I’ve been away from Super League for years, I’m at a new club, an ambitious that wants to do well, and I’ve not been able to earn the respect of the players because I can’t get on the field.

“It’s been a bit of a disappointing start to my Hull career, but I’ve took it on the chin and battled my way through and took it as a positive that I’ve not had a pre-season for a while, so I’ve added eight or nine weeks on to that, so hopefully I’ll be in a better position than I was at the start of the year.”

Ellis was virtually an ever present in Super League between 2002 and 2008 for Wakefield and Leeds.

He was subject of interest from every single club in the competition when he announced last February that 2012 would be his last year at Wests.

Hull won the race for his signature, and Ellis formed part of their impressive recruitment campaign for 2013.

Unfortunately, Peter Gentle’s side has been decimated with injury so far this season, and they currently lie in ninth place with just four wins from 11 games.