RUSSELL and Di Ebert would have toasted their 48th wedding anniversary this week.
Instead, the Ebert family will on Saturday celebrate his life and legacy with the adoring Port Adelaide football faithful by their side.
The club’s first home game of the season at Adelaide Oval is a tribute to Ebert, who never liked a fuss, Di said, but would be chuffed to see the prison bars and duffel coat-clad crowds roll up in his honour.
"It will probably give me goosebumps and I’ll feel very proud, because it will be a celebration of his life, but I’m feeling a bit sad too," she said.
"I look back and think, I had 47 years of happy marriage and I’m thankful for that.
"Russell got to see his three kids get married, he met all his grandchildren – we were blessed really."
The four-time Magarey Medallist, who polled 330 votes during his career, passed away in November aged 72, 11 months after he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
The Club will incorporate the Ebert family in several game day gestures in honour of his unparalleled contribution to football and community.
A giant replica of Ebert’s iconic number 7 will loom large amongst the Moreton Bay figs at the Oval’s northern end – providing an ideal background as his grandson Albert slots through the ceremonial first goal of the game.
It is only the second time in Club history that a person who has not played for the club has been given this honour.
"He’s a good kick so I hope he slots it through," Di said. "Wouldn’t it be awkward if he only kicked a point!
"Russell didn’t like a lot of fuss, but deep down he’d be chuffed. He wasn’t one to be out in the limelight because he always said it was a team sport."
Daughter Tammie Kernich will toss the coin before the first bounce at 7.10pm.
"It will be an opportunity for people who weren’t at his funeral at Alberton to celebrate his life and the contribution that he made, not just to football but more importantly outside of the game," she said.
"All the work he did with disadvantaged kids, Indigenous communities and around domestic violence… it’s an opportunity for the people who he touched to say thank you.
"It will be recognition of the impact he had on people’s lives. That was reiterated to us at the funeral where so many people came up and spoke to us. We didn’t realise it spread so far."
Son Ben Ebert said his father would be humbled by the attention.
"A lot of people ring Mum and say they are missing him, and it tugs at her heart strings, so this is a way for everyone to share in what Dad did," he said.
"Even when you went to the footy with him, you’d feel the crowd and how much they loved him.
"The team couldn’t have a better reason to win. Do it for Russ."
Port Adelaide has already announced players will wear a special guernsey with a Russell Ebert number seven patch on the left breast during the match. These will be auctioned off with all proceeds to support children living with disabilities and their families through Novita – a charity Ebert long supported.
Port Adelaide’s current number 7, Xavier Duursma has also announced he will vacate that guernsey for the night in honour of the occasion.
People attending Saturday night’s match are advised to be in their seats by 6:40pm, with tributes to begin no later than 6.45pm sharp.
Tickets to tomorrow night's game are still available.
