Travis Boak to break Russell Ebert’s Port Adelaide games record in round 2 clash against Richmond

There’s no bigger name in Port Adelaide’s history than Russell Ebert. Travis Boak opens up on his special connection to the Power great as he prepares to break Ebert’s games record.

Travis Boak has had plenty of milestones in his glittering career at Port Adelaide but this is going to be a special one.

By taking on Richmond at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, Boak will enter rarefied air at Alberton when he plays his 393rd game for the club.

The tally — 373 AFL games as well as 20 official pre-season games as recognised by AFL protocols, SANFL rules and the club itself — will make him Port Adelaide’s games record holder.

This achievement is different for Boak, because of the person he will eclipse — Port Adelaide legend Russell Ebert.

Travis Boak celebrates a goal in 2007.

Boak will eclipse Power legend Russell Ebert’s record in round 2.

“I think this one is something I’ll look back on and be really proud of,” Boak says.

“It is a special moment, mainly because of what Russell meant to this footy club, meant to me, meant to the playing group, meant to so many people in this community.

“I just see myself as a player that’s been fortunate enough to represent the footy club and to be next to the names like Russell Ebert is pretty special and, yeah, something that I’ll definitely look back on with pride.”

Ebert’s feats on the field for the Magpies across the 1960s, 70s and 80s were legendary.

Three SANFL premierships, four Magarey Medals, six Port Adelaide best and fairests, a Jack Oatey Medal, 29 games for South Australia and also captaining the state in 1975, 1977 and 1983.

He was elevated to legend status in the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2022, a year after he passed away from acute myeloid leukaemia aged 72.

Not only was Ebert a legend on the field, but what he did away from it has meant his legacy transcends the game.

He was heavily involved in charities such as Novita Children’s Services and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

In 1999 he launched Port Adelaide’s community programs, where not only schoolchildren would learn about the legend of Ebert.

Boak enjoys a goal against Geelong.

“What Russell was able to do and this was the beauty of time, as time goes on the schoolchildren don’t know who Russell Ebert is but he was taking the young players with him to make sure that these kids were eating right, knew their discipline,” Port 314-gamer Tim Ginever says.

“He said I don’t want to just go out and have a kick and catch with them, they have to be educated and what it did was make sure all the young guys who got drafted through Port Adelaide got to experience Russell.

“And in that you also get the ability to tap into the rich history of Port Adelaide and its greatest ever player.

“Trav would have been one of those young players who went out on those school visits and I think that was such a good thing that was able to be passed on.”

And as Boak remembers, he was one of those kids.

“I recall going on community camps and stuff like that and all you’d ever hear from people out in the community was ‘Russ was my favourite player, Russ was amazing’,” Boak said.

“And it wasn’t just about his footy, but the person he was and how he represented himself and the footy club is what makes him special, and it’s the legacy he’s left at the footy club, and pretty much what I now call ‘human being first, athlete second’ is about being a good person and representing community.

“And that’s what he did for this footy club, and inspired so many who came after him.

“I think you get that from the moment you walk in the door, and that’s the legacy that he’s left for the Port Adelaide Footy Club.

Boak enjoys a win with his midfield comrade Ollie Wines.

“It’s about the legacy of being a good person and how we can impact our community, and then going out there and representing the footy club and giving our all.”

Given what Boak himself has done off the field in the community, such as his constant charity work it is almost fitting that he is the one to break Ebert’s record.

“(He) would love (it), absolutely love it,” Ebert’s son Brett said.

“Obviously, dad spent a lot of time with Trav when he was at the club, and I got to spend some time with Trav as well, so we know the person that he is, and Dad would be so proud. I know mum and the rest of the family are so proud that it’s Trav.”

But over three years on since Ebert’s death in November 2021, there is a feeling of strangeness that he isn’t here to see Boak pass his record.

“I think it honestly feels like he’s still here,” Brett said.

“It’s a bit of a strange one, whether you haven’t come to terms with it, or whether it’s people still, and always will talk about him a lot, so I think you’ve just got to embrace that and feel like he’s here and he’s always watching.”

Russell Ebert watches over a training session in 1986.

Boak shoots a handball away.

Ginever said that was lingering, but he believed Ebert would have been the first to celebrate Boak if he was at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

“It is almost a bittersweet moment,” Ginever said.

“I think if Russell was still here it would be more of a celebration and I think everyone would be a lot more comfortable in saying how good is this.

“It is a little bit difficult I think to talk it up, Trav wouldn’t do it anyway he is not that type of bloke.

“So I do think we need to celebrate how amazing it is at this incredible new level of fitness required to play AFL that he has been able to do it.

“I think if Russ was here, and I always think about what he would be like if he was here, he would be over the moon.

“Records are there to be broken, it is an old saying and it is very true. Nothing lasts forever and he would be the first one to gather him (Boak) up and put him on his shoulders and celebrate it.

“For Russ he would be thinking “good, I don’t have to worry about it any more”. He wasn’t big on the individual accolades Russ, even though he won six (best and fairests), four magarey’s, you name it he has done it.

“He wasn’t much into those individual awards because he knew what the ultimate was and that was winning premierships with your teammates and that is what he always strived for.

“He would be the first to put Trav up on his shoulders and celebrate the day.”