Australian Football

John Ellis was a smooth moving, highly creative footballer who, especially early in his career, possessed the champion's knack of always seeming unflustered, irrespective of the amount of physical pressure he was under. He joined Essendon in 1966 from local side Keilor, and after spending a season in the reserves made his league debut in 1967 before becoming an ever present the following year. Superbly balanced, Ellis's foot passing - with either foot - was a delight to behold. 

He played in the centre in Essendon's 1968 Grand Final loss to Carlton, but after sustaining a serious knee injury the following year he was never quite the same player. Midway through the 1971 season, after 44 VFL games and 43 goals for the Bombers, he was told that he was surplus to requirements, and crossed to Footscray.

After a handful of reserves games for the Bulldogs, Ellis packed his bags and headed west where he embarked on a two and a half season, 40-game stint with Perth. With the effects of his knee injury now seemingly behind him, Ellis spent the next ten years undertaking what amounted to a tour of Australia, playing football as he went. From 1974 to 1976 he captain-coached Sandgate, steering the side to a QAFL flag in his first season, as well as to a club record score of 33.28 (226) against Wilston Grange a few weeks earlier. 

He spent the 1977 season with Cooee and was chosen to represent the NWFU. Returning to Victoria in 1978, he captain-coached Dandenong to fourth place in the VFA first division before rounding off his career with brief tours of duty at Watsonia (where he won the Diamond Valley League best and fairest award in 1979), Keilor (1980) and Greensborough (1981-3).

Author - John Devaney