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.

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.

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.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJqRzLtKHID/?igsh=NWdmMWNsZmRvbGU0

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 Thursday at 08:594 days by Big Col
makes sense now

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

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.

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.

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