Little chats: Happiness off the court catalyst for Rudi Ellis’s breakout season

Rudi Ellis stunned plenty when she was named as a training partner for the Diamonds squad earlier this year. Next week, she’ll head to New Zealand for the Constellation Cup as Australia’s newest Test player.

Diamonds bolter Rudi Ellis says happiness off the court has translated into stunning form on it as she heads into a maiden Constellation Cup campaign with Australia.

The Melbourne Vixens defender made her Test debut against England last month after a stunning rise, having initially been drafted into coach Stacey Marinkovich’s side as a training partner.

But Ellis, who transferred back to Melbourne, where she was a training partner with the Vixens from 2018-19 before stints with the Queensland Firebirds and West Coast Fever, has fitted seamlessly back into her life in Victoria where she is surrounded by family and friends.

As she tells Tayla Little in the latest edition of Little Chats, the move reunited her with partner Tim English, the Western Bulldogs ruckman with whom she shared a long-distance relationship for the past four years while both chased their elite sporting dreams.

Rudi Ellis with her partner, Western Bulldogs star Tim English. Picture: Ian Currie

“I think being a training partner (with the Vixens) a couple of years ago and then having a very similar support staff and some of the same girls as well, just made it such an easy transition coming back,” she said of a move that spurred a breakout season with the grand finalists.

“Being surrounded by loved ones again, like family, my partner, friends, it’s just made such a difference having that happiness off the court, because I think that really translates

on court.”

English was among the first to find out when Ellis was first named in the Diamonds wider squad, replacing Vixens squadmate Emily Mannix (pregnancy) as a training partner, before she won a call-up to the group to face the Roses, eventually making her debut in Adelaide.

Rudi Ellis of Australia greets fans after game three of the international series between Australia Diamonds and England Roses. Photo: Getty Images

“I called mum and dad straight away, which was nice to be able to talk to them about it, and then Tim came home 10 minutes later, so it was really exciting to be able to share that news with loved ones,” Ellis told this masthead on receiving the news she would be pulling on the gold dress for the series against the Roses.

“I think Tim was tearing up a little bit, which he never does, so that was really beautiful to see.

“And mum and dad were just over the moon, just so happy, and there’s with obviously been a lot of hard work from them put into this moment.”

Ellis revealed to Little that after spending so much time apart, reuniting with English was a joy and having another elite athlete as a partner meant the pair respected the work that went in to each being the best they could be.

Tim English and Rudi Ellis at the Western Bulldogs 2024 Charles Sutton Medal. Picture: Mark Stewart

“We did long distance for four years, which was obviously challenging, but I think when you’re in the same house, it’s been really handy,” she said.

“I think we both respect sleep time and try to eat as well as we can and are really good at being able to bounce off ideas and concerns and all that kind of thing with someone who gets it.”

Ellis and Diamonds teammates head into camp at the weekend before travelling to New Zealand next week for the opening match of their four-game Constellation Cup series in Wellington on October 20.

Originally published as Little chats: Happiness off the court catalyst for Rudi Ellis’s breakout season