There's no direct Melbourne connection that I am aware of, but Robert Walls was a seminal influence on the game for many years.

Robert Walls death: Carlton AFL great dies, aged 74, using Victoria’s voluntary assisted dying laws to end cancer suffering

10/10 LDC . There is nothing on AFL website.

Sad news. Best known to me for saying 'give him a run in the ruck' for any tall who wasn't getting a kick.

A good way to go. Didn't want to go through treatment again, had already lost his wife & it's good he got to go out on his own terms with his family there with him

An ornament to the game! RIP Wallsy.

Vale.

"Give him a run in the ruck" will live forever. I say it regularly footy related and not.

8 minutes ago, old dee said:

10/10 LDC . There is nothing on AFL website.

Or, as Robert Walls might have said "8, 9, 10 out of 10"

Heartbreaking.

74? Too young

I loved Walls as a player, but even more so post playing and coaching media career.

Smart, erudite, a creative and deep thinker about the game, didn't suffer fools, had strong views without being didactic and/or controversial for controversy's sake and was a brilliant communicator. Exactly the sort of attributes that are so lacking in today's football media landscape.

Genuinely very sad to hear this news.

Rest In Peace, Wallsy. Thanks for the wonderful memories

💔

Really liked Robert. RIP. Glad he got to go his own way, as much as you can with cancer.

Vale.

I’ve been to a few panels where he would talk about his time coaching the Roys and the Bears. Wallsy had some of the hardest conditions both political and financial to deal with as a senior coach. He was clearly never afraid of a challenge.

28 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

A good way to go. Didn't want to go through treatment again, had already lost his wife & it's good he got to go out on his own terms with his family there with him

Went out in his terms. Sometimes we treat animals better than we treat ourselves.

His Open Mike episode is terrific. So honest.

Rest in peace.

A true champion of the game and of life

Wallsy was a Legend

Saw him play in both the 1970 & 1972 GF’s

I think he kicked 6 in ‘72. (What a game that was)

Great Respect as a Coach, particularly with Fitzroy, they had no money and very poor facilities, but he coached gun sides. In the Media he was always worth listening to (unlike so much of today’s Media junk)

Very pleased he went out on his terms, i hope more people do the same…

RIP Legend

Edited May 15, 2025May 15 by Sir Why You Little

Honestly, one of the best footy minds to have ever been involved in our sport. Not because of bias and that he was one of our bigger supporters (tipped us for the flag in 2018 and still believed in our capabilities during the 2019-2020 period), but his footy insight from both a playing and administrative perspective was first class and he certainly wasn’t afraid to speak his mind and give Carlton well deserved bakes during their bleakest years.

He bled for that club and you could tell that when he spoke it wasn’t out of pure emotion, but out of a genuine knowledgable view of the game.

R.I.P.

Edited May 15, 2025May 15 by VNightCityLegend

74 is too young.

I knew him briefly through a mutual friend. A true gentleman.

Always spoke clearly about footy, the game, the strategies… and his insights through media TV and newspaper was well thought and constructive. Never like today’s sensational dirt grabbing media circus talk shows.

💔a true footballer and a gentleman

RIP

Gone too young. Someone you could listen too for great insight into the game.

Compare Walls to today media incomparable. Great analyst and coach. Very sad the he and his wife both died from cancer. Donated his medals to Carlton museum a true legend of the game.

I spent quite a bit of time with him as his partner is the Mum of one of my good friends.

Just a thoroughly decent man who made you feel important every time you talked to him. Interested in you, listened, asked questions. Usually with a twinkle in his eye.

No longer in pain.

RIP Wallsy.

Edited May 15, 2025May 15 by Dee Boys

22 minutes ago, Deesprate said:

Compare Walls to today media incomparable. Great analyst and coach. Very sad the he and his wife both died from cancer. Donated his medals to Carlton museum a true legend of the game.

Walls would come out with the big opinion article where even if you disagreed or felt he'd missed something, you had to take seriously the level of thought he put into it and you had to genuinely argue your case against.

If the modern types like Cornes invest one hour to come up with ten 'big calls', Walls would put ten hours into one.

I'm glad to know he had full dignity and affection with him.

Universally admired and the game will be the poorer for not having him anymore.

3 hours ago, wheaters31 said:

His Open Mike episode is terrific. So honest.

Rest in peace.

Toe to toe with Sheedy on Talking Footy was great television.

Condolences to the family. Gone way too soon.

Sad day. Rip