| Russell Ebert OAM | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Russell Ebert statue at Adelaide Oval | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Russell Frank Ebert | ||
| Date of birth | 22 June 1949 | ||
| Place of birth | Berri, South Australia | ||
| Date of death | 5 November 2021 (aged 72) | ||
| Original team(s) | Loxton, Waikerie | ||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 90 kg (198 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1968–78, 80–85 | Port Adelaide | 392 (294) | |
| 1979 | North Melbourne | 25 (15) | |
| Total | 417 (309) | ||
| Representative team honours | |||
| Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
| 1970–83 | South Australia | 29 | |
| 1996–98 | South Australia (Coach) | 3 | |
| Coaching career3 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
| 1983–87 | Port Adelaide | 116 (64–52–0) | |
| 1988–90 | Woodville | 64 (24–40–0) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1985. 3 Coaching statistics correct as of 1990. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
|
Club
Representative
Honours
| |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Russell Frank Ebert OAM (22 June 1949 – 5 November 2021) was an Australian rules footballer and coach. He is considered one of the greatest players in the history of Australian rules football in South Australia.[1][2] 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).[3] He is one of four Australian rules footballers to have a statue at Adelaide Oval, the others being Ken Farmer, Malcolm Blight and Barrie Robran.[4] Football historian John Devaney described Ebert as coming "as close as any player in history to exhibiting complete mastery over all the essential skills of the game,"[5] and he is widely regarded as the Port Adelaide Football Club's greatest-ever player.[6][7][8] Aside from his 392 games at Port Adelaide, Ebert played 25 games for North Melbourne in the 1979 VFL season and collected over 500 possessions as a midfielder for the club, which reached the preliminary final.[9] Ebert was an inaugural inductee into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996, and he was posthumously elevated to Legend status in June 2022, the highest honour that can be bestowed onto an Australian footballer.[10]
- ^ "Ebert Honoured With Sculpture". SANFL. 15 August 2015. Archived from the original on 4 January 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
- ^ "Port poised to pick up son of SA legend Ebert – realfooty.com.au". The Age. 31 July 2002. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
- ^ "Magarey Medal". SANFL. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
- ^ Rucci, Michaelangelo (18 August 2017). "Robran to Ebert to Blight to Farmer — the roll call of SA football greats cast in bronze at Adelaide Oval is complete". The Advertiser. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ Devaney, John. "Russell Ebert". australianfootball.com. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ Rucci, Michelangelo (6 November 2021). "Remembering Port Adelaide's greatest hero". portadelaidefc.com.au. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Turner, Matt (26 May 2020). "Port Adelaide's 150 Greatest Players in 150 years: Who has made the top five?". The Advertiser. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ McLachlan, Gillon (5 November 2021). "Vale Russell Ebert: AFL remembers Port Adelaide legend". afl.com.au.
- ^ "Vale Russell Ebert". nmfc.com.au. 6 November 2021.
- ^ Patrick Keane (14 June 2022). "SA football icon Russell Ebert now a Hall of Fame Legend". afl.com.au.