Height/Weight 183 cm / 90 kg Name Russell Ebert Years Club | Years Team Years Club Children Brett Ebert | |
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Date of birth (1949-06-22) 22 June 1949 (age 66) 1968-1978, 1980-19851979 Port AdelaideNorth Melbourne Role Australian Rules Football Player | ||
Russell ebert part 1
Russell Ebert OAM (born 22 June 1949) is a retired Australian rules footballer and coach. He is considered one of the greatest players in the history of Australian rules football in South Australia. Russell Ebert is the only player to have won four Magarey Medals which are awarded to the best and fairest player in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).
Contents
- Russell ebert part 1
- Russell Ebert highlights
- Early life
- Port Adelaide 1968 1978
- North Melbourne 1979
- Return to Port Adelaide 1980 1987
- Woodville coach 1988 1990
- Playing Style
- Personal life
- Honours
- Publications
- References
Russell Ebert highlights
Early life
The fourth of six children of Doreen and Albert Ebert, Russell was born in the South Australian river town of Berri, South Australia. Russell's father Albert was a footballer with the Alawoona Football Club and captain coached the team to a premiership in 1953. Russell's family moved to Loxton during his high school years and the town was home to his junior football club, the Loxton Football Club. At Loxton he would play with his brothers along with Bruce Light, who would eventually play for Port Adelaide with Russell.
Port Adelaide (1968-1978)
Ebert debuted for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) as an 18-year-old in 1968 and immediately made an impression, winning the club leading goalkicking in his debut season. He followed that with a Magarey Medal (awarded to the fairest and most brilliant player in the SANFL) and club Best and Fairest double in 1971. His first premiership as a player came in 1977 when Port Adelaide broke its drought defeating Glenelg at Football Park.
It has taken us a bloody long time but by gee it was worth it!
North Melbourne (1979)
Victorian Football League clubs chased Ebert for a decade until North Melbourne finally won his signature and he spent a season with North Melbourne in 1979 Port Adelaide agreed to lease Ebert to North Melbourne for the 1979 season in exchange for Mark Dawson, as well as paying Ebert $35,000. North Melbourne also agreed to cover Ebert's large travel costs cause by his desire to stay in Adelaide and fly to Melbourne each Thursday during the season and return on Sunday.
Ebert's tally of twenty five games for North Melbourne is the VFL/AFL record for the most games in a career which only lasted one season. During his season with North Melbourne Ebert would play alongside Malcolm Blight, Graham Cornes, Keith Greig, Ross Glendinning, Wayne Schimmelbusch, Gary Dempsey and Graham Melrose. Ebert would collect the most disposals for the club during the season and 9 Brownlow votes.
Return to Port Adelaide (1980-1987)
Following the end of the 1979 season, Ebert returned to Port Adelaide, where his 392 games remains a club record. Russell Ebert won two more premierships with Port Adelaide in 1980 and 1981.
Ebert captained Port Adelaide from 1974–1978 and 1983–1985, as well as captaining the South Australian side in 1975, 1977 and 1983. He coached Port Adelaide from 1983-1987: playing coach from 1983-1985, and then non-playing coach in 1986-1987.
Ebert's playing career spanned a total of 452 senior games for Port Adelaide, North Melbourne and South Australian representative. At least one compilation of Australian football statistics estimated this to be the seventh highest tally in top-level senior football.
Woodville coach (1988-1990)
Russell Ebert took up coaching Woodville after ending his coaching tenure at Port Adelaide for John Cahill's return. Ebert would coach Woodville for three years with the club failing to make finals during that period. The club would end up merging with West Torrens at the end of the 1990 SANFL season.
Playing Style
Ebert was a strong bodied player whose physical build and stamina allowed him to dominate football matches. With a high skill level, errors were rare and his ability to hit team mates with accurate spearing passes made him very effective in attacking roles. Ebert was able to win his own ball and could quickly hand pass effectively under pressure.
Personal life
Ebert's brothers Craig and Jeff also played for Port Adelaide in the SANFL. His son Brett and his nephew Brad Ebert have both played for Port Adelaide in the SANFL and AFL. Brad Ebert's grandfather is Trevor Obst and great-grandfather is Ken Obst who also both played for Port Adelaide.
Honours
Russell Ebert is widely held to be the greatest player to have played for the Port Adelaide Football Club. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996 and is centre for Port Adelaide's greatest team.
Ebert was the second and currently only one of three Australian rules footballers to have a statue at Adelaide Oval, the other players being Barrie Robran and Malcolm Blight.