SA Footy

Russell Ebert sculpture to be unveiled at Adelaide Oval

He won four Magarey Medals, three premierships and played almost 400 games for his beloved Port Adelaide – and now Russell Ebert is about to take permanent pride of place at Adelaide Oval.
A sculpture of Ebert will be unveiled outside the East Gate tomorrow, Saturday 15th August just before the Power take on Greater Western Sydney in their AFL clash.
“I am very honoured and humbled, and would like to credit the support of my family, the SA football fraternity and, in particular, the Port Adelaide Football Club where I have spent most of my adult life,” Russell said.
“It’s because of family and club that this honour has been bestowed.
“It’s also important to me that we recognise this sculpture stands on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people. That’s also a privilege and very significant from a personal perspective.”
Ebert joins Barrie Robran in being immortalised in bronze, with the 4-metre likeness of Robran already a feature on Telstra Plaza.
A total of four footballers will be honoured in this way through the generosity of businessman and philanthropist Basil Sellers, with Ken Farmer and Malcolm Blight also to be recognised along with four cricket greats.
“We are very fortunate to be able to recognise the greats of our game in this way and perpetuate their achievements for future generations of football fans,” said John Olsen, Chairman of the SA Football Commission.
"Russell Ebert is a true champion of South Australian football, and it’s fantastic that – thanks to the generosity of Basil Sellers – the tens of thousands who come to Adelaide Oval every weekend will be able to admire and appreciate his greatness.”
Ebert and Blight will appear together at the SANFL Chairman’s Lunch on Friday August 21st, offering fans a one-off opportunity to hear from these two greats about their memories and their views of the game today.

Dogwatcher wrote:Russell Ebert sculpture to be unveiled at Adelaide Oval

He won four Magarey Medals, three premierships and played almost 400 games for his beloved Port Adelaide – and now Russell Ebert is about to take permanent pride of place at Adelaide Oval.
A sculpture of Ebert will be unveiled outside the East Gate tomorrow, Saturday 15th August just before the Power take on Greater Western Sydney in their AFL clash.
“I am very honoured and humbled, and would like to credit the support of my family, the SA football fraternity and, in particular, the Port Adelaide Football Club where I have spent most of my adult life,” Russell said.
“It’s because of family and club that this honour has been bestowed.
“It’s also important to me that we recognise this sculpture stands on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people. That’s also a privilege and very significant from a personal perspective.”
Ebert joins Barrie Robran in being immortalised in bronze, with the 4-metre likeness of Robran already a feature on Telstra Plaza.
A total of four footballers will be honoured in this way through the generosity of businessman and philanthropist Basil Sellers, with Ken Farmer and Malcolm Blight also to be recognised along with four cricket greats.
“We are very fortunate to be able to recognise the greats of our game in this way and perpetuate their achievements for future generations of football fans,” said John Olsen, Chairman of the SA Football Commission.
"Russell Ebert is a true champion of South Australian football, and it’s fantastic that – thanks to the generosity of Basil Sellers – the tens of thousands who come to Adelaide Oval every weekend will be able to admire and appreciate his greatness.”
Ebert and Blight will appear together at the SANFL Chairman’s Lunch on Friday August 21st, offering fans a one-off opportunity to hear from these two greats about their memories and their views of the game today.

Never personally saw him play but have seen footage of him, silky smooth skills is all I can say, have seen footage of him kicking a left foot dropkick lace out to a team mate as if it's nothing. Absolute champion of the game

Should go one step further and name the oval after our greatest players IMO.

R(obran) E(bert) B(light) Oval

REB oval.

..oops, no scrap that.

Im as big of a Port basher as anyone but Ebert deserves any accolade that comes his way. Absolute champion of Australian rules football

He absolutely was - Im so glad I was able to see him at the latter stage of his career.

Question. Does Blight deserve to be rated as highly as Ebert, Robran and Farmer? How does Platten, Kernahan and Bradley rate in comparison after Blighty, or Bernie Smith before?

regards,

REB

I think the best 3 SA players - (pre 1990..it's all too complex if we include the time the Crows started playing) - is almost universally* ranked as

Robran
Ebert
Farmer

I personally would then go with:
Blight
Platten

I would have Kernahan and Bradley a step or 2 below those above.

*obviously some people would have different opinions on the first 3, but there tends to be a general consensus that they are the best of the best.

From early 80's, Platten no 1 daylight 2nd

daysofourlives wrote:From early 80's, Platten no 1 daylight 2nd

That's funny and terrible at the same time

I'm no Centrals supporter, but I wouldn't necessarily disagree with DOOL's post.

Great to see Russell Ebert immortalised alongside his friend Barrie Robran. Both champions on and off the field.

I personally don't have a problem with Blight being next. Consider this....

The first player to get the Magarey/ Brownlow medal double
The only player to get the Farmer/ Coleman medal double (and kick a 100 in a season in both comps)
Captained both SA and Victoria

Throw in coaching two Crows flags and it's a lay down misere.

Leaping Lindner wrote:Great to see Russell Ebert immortalised alongside his friend Barrie Robran. Both champions on and off the field.

I personally don't have a problem with Blight being next. Consider this....

The first player to get the Magarey/ Brownlow medal double
The only player to get the Farmer/ Coleman medal double (and kick a 100 in a season in both comps)
Captained both SA and Victoria

Throw in coaching two Crows flags and it's a lay down misere.

Not to mention mastermind of Woodville's most successful era while fulfilling the role of playing coach.

Leaping Lindner wrote:Great to see Russell Ebert immortalised alongside his friend Barrie Robran. Both champions on and off the field.

I personally don't have a problem with Blight being next. Consider this....

The first player to get the Magarey/ Brownlow medal double
The only player to get the Farmer/ Coleman medal double (and kick a 100 in a season in both comps)
Captained both SA and Victoria

Throw in coaching two Crows flags and it's a lay down misere.

Yeah that's a fair resume. Still haven't forgiven him for winning flags somewhere else.

regards,

REB

P.S.
SANFL,you forgot Ken Farmer IMHO,a travesty,
bigger in his time than some recognised before home!
A bit like the SACA with the legend Les Favell.
Like the MCG let's remember all the great players who performed at the oval over recent time.

P.S.
SANFL also Jack Oatey a la Norm Smith at the G.

VALE PARK wrote:P.S.
SANFL,you forgot Ken Farmer IMHO,a travesty,
bigger in his time than some recognised before home!
A bit like the SACA with the legend Les Favell.
Like the MCG let's remember all the great players who performed at the oval over recent time.

Ken Farmer is going to be the fourth, and at this stage last, SANFL statue

I've had a good look at it, I'm not thrilled by the likeness, but I'm also not going to pot a sculptor for doing something I couldn't do.

VALE PARK wrote:P.S.
SANFL also Jack Oatey a la Norm Smith at the G.

In terms of coaches you need both Oatey and Williams. Can't have one without the other.

Booney wrote:I've had a good look at it, I'm not thrilled by the likeness, but I'm also not going to pot a sculptor for doing something I couldn't do.

Seems to happen a lot in sculptures.
Remember the Phil Hughes debacle?

I don't think the Malcolm Blight one looks much like him, think the most like statue there is George Giffen