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Vale Robert Walls

La Dee-vina Comedia
in Melbourne Demons

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He had a disposition very similar to my own - grumpy and hated bulltish - really liked him. A great loss and courageous right to the end.

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    He was a great coach, especially at Fitzroy from 1981-85. Three finals series in 5 years and very unlucky not to salute in 1983 when they were on the wrong end of a couple of very controversial calls in the Qualifying Final against eventual premier Hawthorn, going down by less than a kick. That same year they had defeated top of the table North Melbourne by 150 points! He was a master tactician. His move of Rhys-Jones onto Brereton in the 1987 GF was brave and incredibly successful. His work at the Bears laid the ground work for the three peat and it was fitting that he got the Bears into their first ever finals series.

    As a commentator on 10 he was incredibly thoughtful and thought provoking and his work on panel shows, especially Talking Footy was always entertaining. As a print journalist, I always felt he was the best columnist of his time.

    His contribution to the game overall is probably as good as anyone ever. RIP - a true great.

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    One of my early memories of my first GF attendance in 1972 where he starred up forward. Pretty sure my late dad had a minor bingle on our way to the G that day as well. Memorable for a few reasons!

    Always enjoyed his contributions and insights into the game on various footy shows.

    I'd say he & Blight were (are) two of my favs in the media over the years.

    Sorry to see him go so young. A tremendous talent and character of the game.

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    I'll didn't think I'd ever forgive Walls for having an open goal and missing in the dying seconds of the Rd22 1976 game Carlton vs Footscray where a Carlton victory would provide Demons with their first finals experience since 1964. The game was a draw.

    I was in tears as an 8 year old and vowed I would spend the rest of my life hoping Robert Walls would suffer immense pain for ever after. True story.

    By the time we'd made finals in 1987 I had forgiven him.

    My fondest memory of him is when he was coaching the Bears and they had to rely on the result of another game to know whether they'd made it. It was Rd 22 1995, the same game that Sean Smith took his mark of the century. The Bears won but needed other results to fall their way. The whole thing was so unlikely but the Bears got up and you could see the way Walls was so thrilled for his players - hugging them and back slaps and all. (He was retiring ).

    Rest easy Wallsy. I've forgiven you.

    Edited by Big Col
    makes sense now

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    He presented me with my first Football trophy when I was 13

    He was only 16 himself and Carlton was using him as a Club ambassador before he had even played a game

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    7 hours ago, binman said:

    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.

    Thanks.Very succinct and accurate comment.Loved listening to him talk about football.

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    16 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

    As a commentator on 10 he was incredibly thoughtful and thought provoking and his work on panel shows, especially Talking Footy was always entertaining. As a print journalist, I always felt he was the best columnist of his time.

    His contribution to the game overall is probably as good as anyone ever. RIP - a true great.

    I think it's worth adding that he wrote every word in his articles. I can't recall the backstory, but about 10-15 years ago there was some suggestion that various opinion writers were claiming works as their own when, in fact, they had been ghostwritten. Walls was quite indignant and wanted everyone to know that he wrote every single word of his own pieces.

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    RIP Robert Walls a great player, coach, commentator, scribe and human being.😢💕

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    Many of you on here may not have ever seen this game. It was truly extraordinary, the free flowing style was a complete outlier for the early 70’s.

    50 goals were scored in the match, Walls got 6 of them.

    As a 9 year old, i remember it well, Grand Finals in the 70’s were epic, crowds well over 100,000 each year… The Roar from those crowds is hard to explain….

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    I was there as a 12 year old and yes it was a crazy game. Blues were rank outsiders and pulled a number of pre game positional moves which, at that time, was rare. Richmond couldn’t sort themselves out.

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    Is this the most exciting Grand Final of all time? Has to be in the mix surely. Free flowing, long and direct footy. Jezza out of the goalsquare had a field day.

    I once saw Rex Hunt on one of those channel 7 shows say that he thought he did a reasonable job at CHB on Robert Walls, holding him to 8 kicks. The fact that he kicked 6 goals and was BOG was another story.

    RIP Robert.

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    3 hours ago, layzie said:

    Is this the most exciting Grand Final of all time? Has to be in the mix surely. Free flowing, long and direct footy. Jezza out of the goalsquare had a field day.

    I once saw Rex Hunt on one of those channel 7 shows say that he thought he did a reasonable job at CHB on Robert Walls, holding him to 8 kicks. The fact that he kicked 6 goals and was BOG was another story.

    RIP Robert.

    I remember looking at the Scoreboard during the 2nd Quarter

    Carlton were 16.4 100

    It was insane, nobody did that back then. No Centre Square existed back then

    An incredible GF…

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    On 15/05/2025 at 12:31, binman said:

    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.

    Great, true words and sentiment from you Binman. From my take of the man, spot on.

    A big loss, not just from the game, but for the community and especially, his loved ones. Judging from this thread, seems there are many. But for his family and friends, my sincere condolences.

    On a brighter note, it's interesting in aging, one shifts the goal posts as to what old is. I know I do.

    And while I agree, that in today's world 74 isn't "old", that aside, given the quality of the bloke, he would be a loss at any age.

    It's great to read so many kind posts about the man and I'm sure, reassuring for those who knew him personally.

    Seems to be a particularly sad time in the footy world for a number of reasons.

    Take care everyone.

    Edited by leave it to deever

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    On 15/05/2025 at 12:31, binman said:

    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.

    Lovely sentiments BM. I wish there were more like him in today's media.

    Too young ??? I reckon if you make threescore & ten you've done ok.

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    Lived in East Brunswick down by the Merri Creek, next to the velodrome.

    Chased me and a few of my mates out of the bike track with a shovel in hand for shaking

    the light poles. I would have been around 14 I guess, him a few years older.

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    1 hour ago, Cranky Franky said:

    Lovely sentiments BM. I wish there were more like him in today's media.

    Too young ??? I reckon if you make threescore & ten you've done ok.

    Not if your scoring is as accurate as the demons.

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    3 hours ago, Cranky Franky said:

    Lovely sentiments BM. I wish there were more like him in today's media.

    Too young ??? I reckon if you make threescore & ten you've done ok.

    I'm safely guessing your below the age of sixty.

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    It says alot for a man who played for sides other than Melbourne, to get pages on Demonland full of love.

    I heard a whisper Percy Beams went to the Barwon Heads pub after the funeral and had the whole venue singing we are the navy blues in honour.

    Respect is universal for Wallsy.

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