Russell Ebert and Will Northeast now heading up Port Adelaide’s community programs at Alberton
Their surnames are forever inked in Port Adelaide tradition and despite a 46-year age gap Russell Ebert and Will Northeast are working side by side to make a difference in the community.
They are separated by 46 years in age but their surnames will forever be bound by Port Adelaide history and now they’re working side by side at Alberton.
Russell Ebert, arguably Port Adelaide’s greatest ever player, is heading up the club’s community programs with Will Northeast — the son of eight-time premiership hero Paul.
Four-time Magarey Medallist Ebert coached Paul in 1987 and said it was nice to now be working with his son at the footy club.
“It’s a continuation of a really good history at the club and I think it’s always important to keep players and families involved,” Ebert said.
“To see Will come on board and be so passionate about the footy club and really find his direction, it’s great to see the same determination and even skill sets in what the diversity of the community programs needs.”
Ebert turned 70 last week and the staff at Port Adelaide surprised him with a birthday cake and an ice coffee to fuel his once-a-day habit.
It also marked 20 years since he lobbied the club to begin its community work in earnest.
“It’s grown so much from when we started in 1999 — Rob Snowdon was the football operations manager from Sydney Swans and they had to get out in the community and promote the game plus their own club,” Ebert said.
“We didn’t have to do that here because we were established and well-known but the community side we really wanted to develop.
“So we brought all that together with the community youth program and got straight into schools.”
That has now grown into its own arm of the club known as ‘Power Community Limited’ and which runs programs across all sectors of the community.
“Promoting all sorts of issues and causes as well as healthy lifestyles, making good decisions, surrounding yourself with positive people and building relationships,” Ebert said.
Northeast, 24, played SANFL for the Eagles and Port Adelaide and got a job at Alberton behind the bar.
He poured beers for four years before working in the membership department and volunteering in the community programs before landing a full-time job there in December.
He now runs the ‘Power to be Positive’ program with the Australian Defence Force and children who are relocated to Adelaide with their parents’ employment.
“I come to work every day and pinch myself being lucky enough to be involved with the footy club, being a lifelong fan,” Northeast said.
“I still remember Sunday morning sessions when they got moved down to Ethelton, and coming here (to Alberton) as a supporter dad would bring me down and we’d stand in the outer supporting the Maggies.
“To be full-time in a dream job at the place you love, I’m very fortunate and grateful.”