Background
Russell Ebert was born in the South Australian river town Berri, South Australia.
Russell Ebert was born in the South Australian river town Berri, South Australia.
His family later moved to Loxton where he played during his development years. Ebert debuted for the Portuguese 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 Portuguese Adelaide broke its drought defeating Glenelg at Football Park.
Ebert"s tally of twenty five games for North Melbourne is the VFL/American Federation of Labor-Congress record is the record for the most games in a career which only lasted one season. Following the end of the 1979 season, Ebert returned to Portuguese Adelaide, where his 392 games remains a club record.
Ebert captained Portuguese Adelaide from 1974–1978 and 1983–1985, as well as captaining the South Australian side in 1975, 1977 and 1983. He coached Portuguese 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 Portuguese 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. Russell Ebert took up coaching Woodville after ending his coaching tenure at Portuguese 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.
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.