Universal Love RIP Russell Ebert. The greatest man!

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RussellEbertHandball said:
It was great to hear Dennis Commeti and Ross Glendining talk about Russell and how they were struck by his ability to get his hands free, absorb a tackle, hold it above his head and do a handball to his teammates.
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Some BF posters even name themselves after this freakish ability.
 

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Only just now bringing myself to visit this thread....

So many words already written better than I could about Russell's ability, but my recollection is how unassuming he always was.

For all his greatness, he never accepted any of the credit whatsoever.

Every accolade was always due to something or someone else, every award always shared with others.

That's the mark of a true champion right there.

H153 Junior went through primary school in the same class as Russell's grandson Albert.

Initially, seeing Russ practically on a daily basis at pickup/dropoff/sports days was gobsmacking, after a while you realised he was just "one of us", so to speak.

(The tears are back, *).

I have the worst memory for past events, but I have this absolutely VIVID picture in my mind of what Ive always thought to be Russell's last kick ever.

If anyone can recall it or knows of footage, I'd love to hear it to confirm my picture or otherwise....
 
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Hodges 153! said:
Only just now bringing myself to visit this thread....

So many words already written better than I could about Russell's ability, but my recollection is how unassuming he always was.

For all his greatness, he never accepted any of the credit whatsoever.

Every accolade was always due to something or someone else, every award always shared with others.

That's the mark of a true champion right there.

H153 Junior went through primary school in the same class as Russell's grandson Albert.

Initially, seeing Russ practically on a daily basis at pickup/dropoff/sports days was gobsmacking, after a while you realised he was just "one of us", so to speak.

(The tears are back, fu**).

I have the worst memory for past events, but I have this absolutely VIVID picture in my mind of what Ive always thought to be Russell's last kick ever.

If anyone can recall it or knows of footage, I'd love to hear it to confirm my picture or otherwise....
Click to expand...

Russell's last kick ever was likely to some under privileged kid who asked for a tip on kicking the sherrin from the great man.
 
Hodges 153! said:
Only just now bringing myself to visit this thread....

So many words already written better than I could about Russell's ability, but my recollection is how unassuming he always was.

For all his greatness, he never accepted any of the credit whatsoever.

Every accolade was always due to something or someone else, every award always shared with others.

That's the mark of a true champion right there.

H153 Junior went through primary school in the same class as Russell's grandson Albert.

Initially, seeing Russ practically on a daily basis at pickup/dropoff/sports days was gobsmacking, after a while you realised he was just "one of us", so to speak.

(The tears are back, fu**).

I have the worst memory for past events, but I have this absolutely VIVID picture in my mind of what Ive always thought to be Russell's last kick ever.

If anyone can recall it or knows of footage, I'd love to hear it to confirm my picture or otherwise....
Click to expand...
Last kick of the match, in the last round (against Norwood).
We lost pretty easily.
Russell played a serviceable game.

He marked the ball in the centre of Footy Park. Final siren blew. He threw back his head as if to say "well, it's all over mate", took a couple of steps and kicked a lazy 60m drop kick.
I think it was Mike Coward(?) who wrote about Russ fittingly having his final kick in the centre of the ground - where he dominated so imperiously for most of his stellar career.
 
VineValerian said:
He marked the ball in the centre of Footy Park. Final siren blew. He threw back his head as if to say "well, it's all over mate", took a couple of steps and kicked a lazy 60m drop kick.
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Yes! :thumbsu:

I didn't recall the siren as having gone, knew it was close but thought play went for a couple more minutes after his last touch.

I did vaguely think it may have been a 'droppie'.

Thanks for confirming.
 
VineValerian said:
Last kick of the match, in the last round (against Norwood).
We lost pretty easily.
Russell played a serviceable game.

He marked the ball in the centre of Footy Park. Final siren blew. He threw back his head as if to say "well, it's all over mate", took a couple of steps and kicked a lazy 60m drop kick.
I think it was Mike Coward(?) who wrote about Russ fittingly having his final kick in the centre of the ground - where he dominated so imperiously for most of his stellar career.
Click to expand...
For those of us not old enough what was the build up like for Russ's last game?

Was there any on field presentation after the game? What kind of crowd turned out?

Thanks
 
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RussellEbertHandball said:
Because he won 3 Magarey medals by the time he was 26 (was 2 years older than Russell and Russell had won 1) and did his ACL in a state game in May 1974, when knee reco surgery was very new and was hit or miss, and was leading the voting in 1974 the year Russell won his second. Plus he played CHF, the toughest position on the ground. Your peak years are 26-30, Robran turned 26 in late September 1973, rarely played any games the next 3 or 4 seasons and when he did it was with a big steel brace.
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Thanks for the explanation. I too always wondered why many put Robran ahead of Ebert. I heard an old Fos Williams interview on Saturday. He said he put Ebert on Robran in a must win game at Prospect one year and Robran did not register a score. According to Fos, Ebert won that duel. Port won the game.
 
1977 was a bit before my time. 1981 was my first year of supporting the club, against my parent's wishes who were West Adelaide fans, but I just loved the prison bar strip so much, I could not not go for Port. But even then, my memory of 1981 is blurred. Was anyone at the 1977 grand final? I've always wondered about the crowd standing in a half circle around Ebert when he held up the premiership cup. Was that the done thing back then because I don't recall seeing that in 1981 and thereafter, certainly not now? What happened which led to that crowd forming? Such an iconic image now.
 
RossFC said:




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Brian Cunningham says only Russell was allowed to do dropkicks - I must have an incorrect memory of that day at Thebby when Tim Evans brought up his ton, because I reckon Bucky slipped in a stabby or two onto Tim's big chest. Maybe Jack was a bit more lenient than Fos...
 
I know there is a gate at Alberton Oval named after him and a statue of him at AO, and I saw Richo's press conference in which he was tight lipped, but I'm pretty certain something Port Adelaide FC related will be named after the great man. Not sure if it will be a medal or something physical at Alberton but the problem Port Adelaide has is, we have had so many legendary players and coaches and administrators who have helped make the club what it is today, there is not enough atoms and particles at Alberton Oval which could be named after these legends of the club. Looking forward to seeing what the club does with regards to Ebert.
 
Vale to the great man Russell Ebert. Had the fortune of him taking a few primary school footy training sessions. Saw him in his twilight years of his career. I have never seen anyone with so much skill on both sides of their body.
Spoke to him at West Lakes a few times too and he remembered me as the kid that wore his Norwood guernsey to training.
I had no choice as my father went to Norwood High but he was in awe of the great man too

What he has done for footy and society will be greatly missed. The world is now a lesser place without the great man.
 
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