AFL world’s tributes to Carlton legend Robert Walls after passing away

Tributes have flooded in from across the footy world for Robert Walls, after the 74-year-old chose to end his life on Thursday after a gruelling cancer fight. Here’s what people had to say.

Robert Walls has been remembered as a tough but deeply caring “giant of the game” as tributes poured in from the football community following his passing on Thursday.

Carlton champion Stephen Kernahan, who lifted the 1987 premiership cup aloft with Walls as captain and coach, said his mentor had been “ahead of his time”.

“When I came to Carlton, ‘Wallsy’ drove me to get the best out of myself, and I’d do anything for him,” Kernahan said.

MIKE SHEEHAN: THE FINAL MORNING WHICH SUMMED UP WALLSY

“He was a hard man – but I loved that hardness in him. He was also ahead of his time, a real visionary.

“Wallsy was a great mentor and friend to me, and I’m shattered I’m not going to see him again.”

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon paid special tribute to Walls’ unforgiving work as coach of the Brisbane Bears when the league was trying to gain a foothold in Queensland.

“Robert Walls was a straight talker with very clear ideas on how the game should be played, and the requirements to be successful at the top level,” Dillon said.

“He was beloved by his teammates and the players he led at the senior level.

“The game was better for Robert being in our ranks, and as a competition, we want to call out his contribution as coach in the early days of the Brisbane Bears, when the club was struggling to establish itself in Queensland.

Behind the gruff exterior of AFL… Robert Walls was a beautiful human being.
Kind, generous, caring.
In the end unbelievably courageous.
He loved his family dearly.
I was proud to call him a friend and I’ll miss him.
Condolences to all those that loved him.
Vale Rob 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/0gIw42DCR4

— Stephen Quartermain (@Quartermain10) May 15, 2025

“Footy in the state is absolutely flying these days with the Lions and the Suns, and we have never forgotten that Robert did the hard yards for the game there when others didn’t want to risk their reputations … he was a major contributor starting the careers of those greats who played in the Brisbane flag sides of 2001-03.”

One of those greats was current Carlton coach Michael Voss, who credited Walls with helping him develop the work ethic he needed to flourish as a player and coach.

“(Walls) was a genuine hard arse and really taught me about professionalism and work ethic … (he) didn’t accept another standard except the best, and so while he was hard, he also drew the best out of you,” Voss said.

“(In my first season) I was in year 11 at school – I used to have my maths (next to him on the plane) and because he was a teacher, I used to try and break the ice by asking him for some advice about how I could solve the maths problem.

“As hard as it was for that two and a half hours to sit beside him, it was also a great opportunity for me to be able to know him, the man, not just the coach, and he’s been an incredible mentor for me over a very, very long period of time. He’ll be dearly missed.”

Coaches’ association boss Alistair Nicholson said the coaching careers of Voss, Chris Scott, Craig McRae and Ross Lyon were among the many that had been shaped by Walls.

“Walls’ strong contribution to the profession and the coaching pathway can be seen in the influence he has been able to have on his former players turned current senior coaches,” he said.

“We celebrate the impact he has left on the game and on coaching.”

Veteran commentator Anthony Hudson recalled his “scary” approach to Walls in 1997 that laid the ground for his decorated post-coaching career in the football media.

Walls, then coach of Richmond, had been spotted in the crowd at Princes Park watching his son, David, play for Carlton’s reserves.

He accepted Hudson’s invitation into the commentary box, and a memorable interview with Sam Newman left 3AW’s management hellbent on securing his services as a special comments man when he was sacked by the Tigers later that season.

“Working with Sam Newman and Rex Hunt at the peak of their powers helped bring out another side of him … he had this dry wit and could either tell the story or deliver a really concise and damning assessment of an individual or team,” Hudson said.

“The contrast of him and ‘Blighty’ (Malcolm Blight) on the special comments for (Channel) 10 made a great combination, too.

“(Walls) was such a great team man over the whole journey, and I know, even from speaking to him recently, that he was so proud of the Channel 10 decade in footy.”

Another Network Ten and radio colleague, Stephen Quartermain, remembered Walls as a “beautiful human being” behind the “gruff exterior”.

“Kind, generous, caring. In the end unbelievably courageous. He loved his family dearly,” Quartermain wrote on X.

“I was proud to call him a friend, and I’ll miss him. Condolences to all those who loved him.”

Players’ association boss Paul Marsh called Walls a “genuine giant of the game”.

“(Walls’) contribution to the 1972 grand final against Richmond, a club he would eventually go on to coach, is regarded as one of the great grand final performances,” Marsh said.

“There were few during Robert’s extensive time in the game who didn’t benefit from his passion, hard work and knowledge.”

Originally published as AFL world’s tributes to Carlton legend Robert Walls after passing away