Should Russell Ebert be the new Legend in the 2020 induction in the AFL Australian Football Hall of Fame?

[South of the Yarra]

And Albert Collier continues to be ignored.

 

[The Swert]

How many games have you got Polly on?

Top tier league games? 356.

Yes Farmer played 37 State of Origin matches, but Burgoyne played 26 preseason games and 26 SANFL matches too which takes his senior match total over 400.

Query - 400 Gamers

In the history of the AFL/VFL there have only been two players to make 400 games over their careers, Tuck and Bartlett. Given that the 400 mark is the holy grail of longevity, it made me wonder how many other blokes have made it to the 400 mark in other high-level comps such as the SANFL and...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Jakksynn]

That's the thing. Why did they have SOO rather than league Vs league? Because the majority of the best players were in the VFL, making it a higher standard, week in, week out. Great player sure, but it's hard to rate someone as being absolute top tier when they played in a second tier comp.

I’m not sure what your point is other than pointless dick measuring. SOO was the highest level of football at the time and he dominated when put at that level.

 

[Kwality]

Arguably the greatest footballer to ever be produced out of South Australia, widely considered as a god of the most successful State league club of all time....its almost a disgrace that he hasn’t been inducted but it’s just a matter of time til he is

Ebert was inducted to the AFL Hall of Fame in 1996, what is in question now is Legend status.

 

[Kwality]

Top tier league games? 356.

Yes Farmer played 37 State of Origin matches, but Burgoyne played 26 preseason games and 26 SANFL matches too which takes his senior match total over 400.

Query - 400 Gamers

In the history of the AFL/VFL there have only been two players to make 400 games over their careers, Tuck and Bartlett. Given that the 400 mark is the holy grail of longevity, it made me wonder how many other blokes have made it to the 400 mark in other high-level comps such as the SANFL and...

www.bigfooty.com

Always had 391 as Pollys total, but you are 100%

Happy to take State* games to account, Polly represented /captained both WA & Vic - different eras, my only concern is the nonsense of including VFL games & ignoring others, ego gone crazy., e.g Polly debuted at Geelong at 27, already 3x All Australian & it is suggested he hadnt played senior footy.

Big fan of Silk, a throughly appropriate nick name for a top shelf champion of our game.

* not Origin games, thats why Polly represented both WA & Vic.
Origin did not eventuate until 1977, for example Kevin Murray played 2 season at East Perth, captained WA in state footy, then went home , going on to add a Brownlow to his list of achievements.

Representative matches in Australian rules football - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Kwality]

If not Ebert than Craig Bradley would have to be a shoo in?

With respect to Braddles, a genuine champ, but longevity should not make a player a Legend. He was inducted as soon as he was eligible (2006).

 

[Dirty Bird]

Nah, ken farmer

1417 goals from 224 games
Then he retired to join the military and fight in ww2
Throw in an additional 81 goals from 17 soo games (so let’s go with 1499 from 241 games)
And once he returned from ww2 he was coach for 4 years, delivering 4 winning seasons, 3 finals appearances, and 2 premierships, including a 108pt drubbing of Norwood.

 

[Ned_Isakoff]

That's the thing. Why did they have SOO rather than league Vs league? Because the majority of the best players were in the VFL, making it a higher standard, week in, week out. Great player sure, but it's hard to rate someone as being absolute top tier when they played in a second tier comp.

When Ebert was playing it was League versus League. The only SA players from the vfl in his era would've been Klomp and Lokan. (I think)
It wasn't until the mid 80's that more than the odd player or two decided, or was coerced, into making the change to play in the vfl.

 

[Established1870]

Russell Ebert spent one year at North Melbourne in 1979 when he was 30 going on 31. He led the club in possessions and polled a bit in the Brownlow too.

Anyone who thinks he's some SANFL hack have no ******* idea.

 

[Kwality]

That's the thing. Why did they have SOO rather than league Vs league? Because the majority of the best players were in the VFL, making it a higher standard, week in, week out. Great player sure, but it's hard to rate someone as being absolute top tier when they played in a second tier comp.

Good to see you acknowledge the difference between the State Leagues & the AFL ... ....ALL the best play in the AFL, the VFL had some of the best.

That Ebert spent a year in the VFL on a FIFO basis at 30 says plenty, especially as Polly was 27 when he went to the VFL.

 

[Kwality]

If you're going to quote me don't edit it to suit your narrative and at least include the whole quote you muppet.

Happy to apologise, I was on my phone & didnt get the chance to preview, clearly a stuff up by yours truly.

The redneck VFL comment: I was looking to link Andrew Demetrious comments & the Fairfax Media criticism but the whole incident has been removed by Google.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Russell Ebert spent one year at North Melbourne in 1979 when he was 30 going on 31. He led the club in possessions and polled a bit in the Brownlow too.

Anyone who thinks he's some SANFL hack have no ******* idea.

Not bad for somebody who didn’t train with the team and just flew over for the games.

 

[DaveEgoat]

Arguably the greatest footballer to ever be produced out of South Australia, widely considered as a god of the most successful State league club of all time....its almost a disgrace that he hasn’t been inducted but it’s just a matter of time til he is

A god in a SANFL team? Not really a big deal if we’re being completely honest

 

[DaveEgoat]

The vast majority of the SANFL watching old geezer crowd all rate Ebert & Robran over Blight that probably tells any sane person how good he was.

Pfft let me guess. They rate Robran and Ebert higher because they spent little to no time in the VFL

Blight had the guts to test his mettle against the best year in year out, instead of hiding in the SANFL

 

[Big_Birdy]

A god in a SANFL team? Not really a big deal if we’re being completely honest

Considering he managed to pop over as a 30 year old, not train with the club, just fly over for games without really giving a s**t and get 9 Brownlow votes, appears the comp wasn't much chop back then.

 

[DaveEgoat]

Considering he managed to pop over as a 30 year old, not train with the club, just fly over for games without really giving a s**t and get 9 Brownlow votes, appears the comp wasn't much chop back then.

Wow. 9 Brownlow votes in a year is enough for legend status? May as well start handing them out like participation trophies

 

[Jascave]

Considering he managed to pop over as a 30 year old, not train with the club, just fly over for games without really giving a s**t and get 9 Brownlow votes, appears the comp wasn't much chop back then.

And playing in the VFL with North Melbourne in 1979 did Russell Ebert the world of good, because when he went back to play with Port Adelaide in 1980, Ebert not only won his second SANFL premiership with the Magpies, he also won his 4th Margarey Medal, and he is still the only player in SANFL history to win 4 Margarey Medals.


Sent from my iPad using BigFooty.com

 

[Kwality]

A god in a SANFL team? Not really a big deal if we’re being completely honest

Lets see the last Blues flag was held up by a South Australian, same bloke had a gig as Blues el presidente, no need to be completely honest Dave, dems da facts.


Do me a favour, who was the last Vic captain to hold up the premiership cup, not Fitz he'a Subi lad, Jezzas from Canberra, was it big Nick in the early 70s?

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

Considering he managed to pop over as a 30 year old, not train with the club, just fly over for games without really giving a s**t and get 9 Brownlow votes, appears the comp wasn't much chop back then.

Norths highest possession winner for the year to boot.

It's not really worth conversing with these imbeciles.

 

[Dirty Bird]

I have no issue with interstate players who made their name in the VFL. They are the greatest players from those respective states.

Sorry but I’m not going to acknowledge players who hid from the big league, instead padding their records against inferior competition

If 1972 taught me anything
Sanfl was better than the vfl back then
Probably why Barrie Robran is a legend without stepping foot in the vfl (even though Carlton offered him $1,000,000 a year)

 

[LeverPuller]

I was wondering the numbers on this, and luckily AFL Tables have them. Percentage of players over 30 are trending upwards, but have historically been higher. However this seems to be in a period where the game was not yet professional. What did strike me is the number of players under 20 between the 50s and 70s.

View attachment 720879

I remember when Boomer passed the record that people said it will never be passed again, because the game is so professional and the players bodies are being tested much more. Doesn't seem to be true, although this isn't conclusive. We'd need average age of retirement, I think.

Would suggest both those high points for 30+ players are historical anomalies due to the World Wars. Particularly the early 1920s one.

 

[South of the Yarra]

Ebert is a superstar of our game and should be respected as one

 

[Elmer_Judd]

Any lfootage of Rusty Ebert highlights on YouTube? Rather curious to see it now, seeing how big of wrap he is getting on this thread, must have been one helluva player.

 

[Benny78]

Don't disagree but there are many vfl players that should be included first. Their premierships not so much

 

[Magma]

yes. already presumed he was. baffling he isnt.