Russell Ebert
Encyclopedia
Russell Ebert is acknowledged as one of the greatest players in the long history of Australian rules football
.
Born in Berri, South Australia
, 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 and further honours over the proceeding decade and a half, including premierships in 1977
, 1980 and 1981, Magarey Medals in 1971, 1974, 1976 and 1980 ( a SANFL record ) and club Best and Fairests in 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1981.
Ebert is the only player in the SANFL to have won four Magarey Medals.
Victorian Football League
clubs chased Ebert for a decade until North Melbourne
finally won his signature and he spent a season with the Kangaroos in 1979 before returning to Port Adelaide, where his 392 games remains a club record.
Ebert captained Port Adelaide from 1974–1978 and 1983–1985, as well as captaining the South Australian side in 1975, 1977 and 1983. Upon his retirement in 1983, Ebert took over the coaching role at Port Adelaide until 1987 and then acted as coach of fellow SANFL side Woodville Football Club
from 1988 to 1990.
Ebert's brother Craig also played for Port Adelaide and son Brett
currently plays for Port Adelaide
in the Australian Football League
. Ebert was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
in 1996.
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.
Player honors:
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
.
Born in Berri, South Australia
Berri, South Australia
Berri is a town in the Riverland region of South Australia. It is 238 kilometres north-east of Adelaide, the capital of the state of South Australia. It is primarily an agricultural and viticultural town on the north bank of the Murray River...
, Ebert debuted for the Port Adelaide Football Club
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
in the South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
(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
Magarey Medal
For the biography award of the same name, see Magarey Medal for biography. For a list of winners, see List of Magarey Medallists.The Magarey Medal is an Australian rules football honour awarded annually since 1898 to the fairest and most brilliant player in the South Australian National Football...
(awarded to the fairest and most brilliant
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
player in the SANFL) and club Best and Fairest double in 1971 and further honours over the proceeding decade and a half, including premierships in 1977
1977 SANFL Grand Final
The 1977 SANFL Grand Final saw the Port Adelaide Magpies defeat the Glenelg Tigers by 8 points. The match was played on Saturday 24 September 1977 at Football Park in front of a crowd of 56,717 ....
, 1980 and 1981, Magarey Medals in 1971, 1974, 1976 and 1980 ( a SANFL record ) and club Best and Fairests in 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1981.
Ebert is the only player in the SANFL to have won four Magarey Medals.
Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
clubs chased Ebert for a decade until North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
finally won his signature and he spent a season with the Kangaroos in 1979 before returning to Port Adelaide, where his 392 games remains a club record.
Ebert captained Port Adelaide from 1974–1978 and 1983–1985, as well as captaining the South Australian side in 1975, 1977 and 1983. Upon his retirement in 1983, Ebert took over the coaching role at Port Adelaide until 1987 and then acted as coach of fellow SANFL side Woodville Football Club
Woodville Football Club
Woodville Football Club was an Australian rules football club that competed in the South Australian National Football League from 1964 to 1990, when it merged with the West Torrens Football Club to form the Woodville-West Torrens Eagles....
from 1988 to 1990.
Ebert's brother Craig also played for Port Adelaide and son Brett
Brett Ebert
Brett Ebert is an Australian rules footballer. He is the son of Port Adelaide legend Russell Ebert and cousin of Port Adelaide's Brad Ebert.-Early career :...
currently plays for Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. Ebert was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
Australian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
in 1996.
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.
Career highlights
Playing career: 1968-1985 (Games: 416 Goals: 310)- Port Adelaide (SANFL) 1968-1978, 1980-1985 (Games: 391 Goals: 295)
- North Melbourne (VFL) 1979 (Games: 25 Goals: 15)
Player honors:
- Magarey Medal 1971, 1974, 1976, 1980
- Port Adelaide (SANFL) best and fairest 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1981
- Port Adelaide (SANFL) leading goalkicker 1968
- Port Adelaide (SANFL) captain 1974-1978
- Port Adelaide (SANFL) premierships 1977, 1980, 1981
- South Australian representative (35 games 0 goals)