Russell Frank Ebert 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. 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). 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. 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," and he is widely regarded as the Port Adelaide Football Club's greatest-ever player. 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. 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.
Russell Ebert statue at Adelaide Oval
Ebert was born in Berri, South Australia, a town on the River Murray.
Fos Williams (pictured) was Ebert's first league coach. Williams said that Ebert "was the most skilful of the Port Adelaide players who came under my control".
Ebert joined fellow South Australian Malcolm Blight at North Melbourne for the 1979 VFL season.
Australian rules football in South Australia
Australian rules football in South Australia has long been the most popular sport in the state. It is governed by the South Australia National Football League.
The 2014 South Australia National Football League Grand Final at the Adelaide Oval
John Acraman was a successful businessman who lived in Adelaide and sponsored the development of football at St Peter's College, Adelaide in the 1850s.
At the old Prince Alfred Hotel on 20 July 1876 a meeting between local club delegates was held where Charles Kingston pleaded that all the local clubs adopt the rules of the "Old Adelaide club" as they were similar to those in use in Victoria. He said that by adopting the "Old Adelaide club rules" intercolonial matches could be played between states.
SANFL premier North Adelaide contest against the VFL premier Hawthorn at the Adelaide Oval for the title of Championship of Australia in 1971.