Nathan Ellis refuses to take full-time contract for granted as Tigers return to pre-season

He fought tooth and nail for every opportunity on the way to his breakout campaign last year, and emerging Tigers star Nathan Ellis is going to use the facilities at his disposal to further improve.

Tasmanian Tigers player Nathan Ellis as the team returns back to training at Blundstone Arena, Bellerive. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

LAST season’s sensation Nathan Ellis is determined to make the most of his first full-time contract as he strives to back up from a stunning 2019-20 campaign.

Ellis started last year without a Tigers deal but finished it as one of the first picked in both domestic forms as well as a walk-up starter for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL.

Nathan Ellis bowls during a Marsh Sheffield Shield cricket match. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

And having fought tooth and nail for every opportunity — including making the move from NSW to fulfil his cricket dream — complacency will not be an issue as he embarks on a new pre-season.

“It is quite a topic of conversation at the moment, I spoke to the coaches yesterday and last week about individual goals and I am trying to see this as almost my first day and first year,” Ellis said as the Tigers returned to action.

“Last year I wasn’t contracted and got upgraded so now being a fully fledged Tiger at the start of the pre-season, I will take this as a first-day mentality and go from there.

“I think for me I have spent a lot of time to get to this position, a lot of time and a lot of effort, now I am here I am so keen to not take it for granted and do the best I can.

“Now that I have a full pre-season and I have got all the facilities­ as a professional athlete, I want to use that to the best I can.”

Nathan Ellis celebrates dismissing Blues batsman Nic Larkin on day 2 of the Sheffield Shield cricket match between the Tasmanian Tigers and the NSW Blues at Blundstone Arena, March 7, 2020. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Like most bowlers, Ellis admits the ban of saliva to shine the ball for the upcoming season will take some adjustment, with the habit ingrained into players from a young age.

“It is one of those things you have done since playing cricket so to all of a sudden stop, it is quite a challenge,” he said. “You do it without knowing you’re doing it, so the challenge is now to try and do the best we can in the pre-season and make sure we get out of that habit.”