A treasured game day tradition will be restored in Round 2, with Port Adelaide's cheer squad members set to unveil a memorable banner for the side's first home game. Image: PAFC.

IT is a ritual steeped in the passion and camaraderie that makes our game so great and for the first time in a long time the footy banner is back, signalling the return to some sort of normality at Adelaide Oval.

As Port Adelaide’s cheer squad members put the finishing touches on what promises to be a memorable banner on Friday night for the club’s Round 2 game against Hawthorn, one man watched on off to one side.

Banner coordinator Liam Briggs had just spoken at length to the group about his pride at seeing people of different backgrounds, upbringings and ages coming together with a common goal – especially after such a trying couple of years for the supporter group.

First, he explained, banners were outlawed with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, when they were to return, he would receive a call late on the night before a game - after a banner had been carefully crafted and rolled into a bag for transport – that the banner would not be allowed.

Sometimes it went the other way and after initially being told not to make a banner, with hours to go, Mr Briggs would be asked to find a way to get one ready.

Port Adelaide cheer squad members construct the banner for the side's Round 2 clash with Hawthorn. Image: Loukas Founten.

“Last year was a bit up and down depending on the rules of SA Health, the AFL, Adelaide Oval and the footy club,” he told portadelaidefc.com.au.

“They each had different rules and depending on one or the other, it was yes or no (to have banners before the game).

“We had the virtual banners last year (on social media) … but Friday nights you were sitting around doing nothing, just wishing you could make a banner.

“This year we have a lot more stability, we’re more organised and focussed and it’s so good to have our banners back.”

And Mr Briggs said the banner would be back with a bang, with a special tribute planned on a night where the club will honour the late, great Russell Ebert.

The club’s greatest player passed away in November and the banner was just one of the ways the club and its supporters would celebrate his contribution to the club, the community and the game in general.

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Mr Briggs said he would have loved to have seen players running around in the prison bars guernsey that Ebert wore on a club record 392 occasions but there were other ways to honour his legacy.

“We may not be able to wear the bars but there’ll be plenty of black and white on the banner,” he said.

“And I’m sure there will be plenty of black and white in the crowd as well with a lot of people wearing the prison bars in honour of Russell Ebert.”

With Adelaide Oval back to full capacity and members able to sit in their originally allocated seats, the return of the banner for players to run through upon their entry to the ground is one of the last traditions of Australian Rules football to return following two COVID-19 impacted seasons.

While Mr Briggs struggled to contain his excitement at being back at the venue to watch his beloved Port Adelaide, he was remaining tight lipped as to what will be on the cheer squad’s banner.

“Let’s just say we’re going back to the future.”