Editing Russell Ebert (section)

==== Port Adelaide non-playing coach (1986–1987) ====
Ebert continued at the club as a non-playing coach for the [[1986 SANFL season]].<ref name=":21">Wood, John (1991). ''Bound For Glory: The Story of the Port Adelaide Football Club 1939–1990''. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p.&nbsp;193. {{ISBN|0959316213}}.</ref> However, Ebert began his first season as a non-playing coach without his star wingman and reigning club best and fairest, [[Craig Bradley]], who had been acquired by [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]].<ref>Wood, John (1991). ''Bound For Glory: The Story of the Port Adelaide Football Club 1939–1990''. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p.&nbsp;194. {{ISBN|0959316213}}.</ref> [[Brad Gotch]] also returned to Victoria to play for [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]].<ref name=":21">Wood, John (1991). ''Bound For Glory: The Story of the Port Adelaide Football Club 1939–1990''. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p.&nbsp;193. {{ISBN|0959316213}}.</ref> During a training session Port Adelaide's full forward [[Tim Evans (footballer)|Tim Evans]] suffered a [[Tibia|cracked tibia]] after stepping on a sprinkler, leading the club's greatest goal-kicker to retire.<ref>Wood, John (1991). ''Bound For Glory: The Story of the Port Adelaide Football Club 1939–1990''. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p.&nbsp;194–5. {{ISBN|0959316213}}.</ref> Port Adelaide in 1986 finished the minor round in third place behind North Adelaide and Glenelg.<ref name=":5b" /> [[Greg Anderson (footballer)|Greg Anderson]] won the 1986 Magarey Medal despite being knocked unconscious the week before against Glenelg.<ref name=":23" /> In the 1986 SANFL First Semi-Final, [[Woodville Football Club|Woodville]] defeated Port Adelaide by 7 points.<ref name=":23" />

The [[1987 SANFL season]] signalled a significant list restructure for Port Adelaide.<ref name=":24" /> Ebert debuted eight new juniors to Port Adelaide's league side during the season.<ref name=":24" /> [[Greg Phillips]] and [[Bruce Abernethy]] returned from [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] to Port Adelaide to resume playing for the club in 1987.<ref name=":24">Wood, John (1991). ''Bound For Glory: The Story of the Port Adelaide Football Club 1939–1990''. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p.&nbsp;197. {{ISBN|0959316213}}.</ref> Meanwhile [[Dwayne Russell]] and [[Ben Harris (Australian rules footballer)|Ben Harris]] left for VFL clubs [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]] and the [[Brisbane Bears]].<ref name=":24" /> Despite overtures from Essendon, Port Adelaide and Ebert managed to hold reigning Magarey Medallist [[Greg Anderson (footballer)|Greg Anderson]] to the final year of contract for the [[1987 SANFL season]].<ref name=":23">Wood, John (1991). ''Bound For Glory: The Story of the Port Adelaide Football Club 1939–1990''. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p.&nbsp;196. {{ISBN|0959316213}}.</ref> Port Adelaide improved on their minor round performance the previous year under Ebert, this time finishing second on the ladder, behind North Adelaide.<ref name=":25">Wood, John (1991). ''Bound For Glory: The Story of the Port Adelaide Football Club 1939–1990''. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p.&nbsp;200. {{ISBN|0959316213}}.</ref> The club lost both of its 1987 finals against Norwood and Glenelg by 34 points and 2 points, respectively.<ref name=":25">Wood, John (1991). ''Bound For Glory: The Story of the Port Adelaide Football Club 1939–1990''. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p.&nbsp;200. {{ISBN|0959316213}}.</ref>

After failing to win a final for three consecutive seasons after the [[1984 SANFL Grand Final]] loss, Ebert was sacked as coach of Port Adelaide and was replaced by John Cahill for the [[1988 SANFL season]].<ref>Wood, John (1991). ''Bound For Glory: The Story of the Port Adelaide Football Club 1939–1990''. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p.&nbsp;202. {{ISBN|0959316213}}.</ref> Although the three seasons preceding Ebert's dismissal as coach were ultimately unsuccessful, he is credited with blooding a large number of champions that helped propel the club into the [[Australian Football League]].<ref name=":5b">Wood, John (1991). ''Bound For Glory: The Story of the Port Adelaide Football Club 1939–1990''. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p.&nbsp;195. {{ISBN|0959316213}}.</ref> These players include:
* 1983 – [[Tim Ginever]]<ref name=":5b" />
* 1984 – [[Greg Anderson (footballer)|Greg Anderson]],<ref>{{Cite news|last=Partland|first=Warren|date=10 September 2019|title=Port Adelaide wingman Greg Anderson inducted into SA Football Hall of Fame|work=The Advertiser|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/local-footy-sa/port-adelaide-wingman-greg-anderson-inducted-into-sa-football-hall-of-fame/news-story/586a2941353a31971cf7b0c2f4ba7c2d|access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref> [[Darren Smith (Australian rules footballer)|Darren Smith]],<ref name=":5b" /> [[Wayne Mahney]],<ref name=":5b" /> [[Roger Delaney]]<ref name=":5b" />
* 1985 – [[Mark Tylor]],<ref name=":5b" /> [[Rohan J. Smith]],<ref name=":5b" /> [[David Hynes]],<ref name=":5b" /> [[George Fiacchi]],<ref name=":5b" /> [[Darryl Borlase]]<ref name=":5b" />
* 1986 – [[Geoff Phelps]]<ref name=":5b" />
* 1987 – [[Andrew Obst]],<ref name=":24" /> [[Paul Northeast]],<ref name=":24" /> [[Scott Hodges]],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Penberthy|first=David|title=Not All Black And White|publisher=Ebury Press|year=2017|isbn=9780143785132|location=Australia|pages=24|language=English}}</ref> [[David Brown (footballer, born 1967)|David Brown]]<ref name=":24" />