Weekly Times | UPDATE: ADELAIDE Crows coach Phil Walsh will be remembered tomorrow, when Hamilton Kangaroos wear black armbands and hold a minute’s silence in his memory.
Walsh, who hailed from the western Victorian town, was killed in the early hours of this morning.
South Australian police and ambulance crews were called to a house in Somerton Park, Adelaide, just after 2am to reports of a domestic dispute.
Ambulance crews treated the injured Walsh at the house, but he died at the scene.
His 26-year-old son has been charged with murder and is undergoing a mental health assessment.
Walsh grew up in Hamilton and played with the Hamilton Football Club before he was recruited to Collingwood, where he was named the club’s best first-year player in 1983.
He played 122 games with Collingwood, Richmond and Brisbane Bears between 1983 and 1990, and was the Bears’ inaugural best-and-fairest winner in 1987.
He was appointed Adelaide’s coach in October.
Hamilton Kangaroos — the result of a merger between Walsh’s former club and Hamilton Imperials — are scheduled to play Portland tomorrow in Round 11 of the Hampden Football League.
Players from the senior and reserve sides will form a guard of honour prior to the senior match, at which time a minute’s silence will be held. Footballers and netballers from both clubs will don black armbands.
Hamilton Kangaroos’ football director Keven Quinn — who went to school with Walsh at Hamilton’s Monivae College and played football against him with Hamilton Imperials — described Walsh’s death as a “tragic loss”.
“It’s a tragedy; I don’t know what other word you can describe it with,” Quinn said.
“It’s going to shock the footy world right down to its socks, right down to little old country Hamilton, where Phil was born and bred.
“We’re all very proud of his achievements and unfortunately his life has been cut short by what can only be described as a tragedy.”
Hamilton Kangaroos chairman John Pepper said the club was “saddened” by the news, and a flag is currently flying at half-mast over Alexandra House, the Kangaroos’ social rooms.
“On behalf of the club, we’re absolutely shocked with the news,” he said.
“This whole Hamilton region is terribly proud of Phil because he’s a local boy who’s gone on to play AFL footy and then gone into coaching ... He’s got one of only 18 jobs, which is a hell of a feat.
“As a club and a community here we’re saddened because he’s still got relations that still live in Hamilton so there is a lot of family and connection to the city.”
Portland club secretary Neil Evison said it was a “very sad occasion for everyone involved”.
“It makes you appreciate the wider football family and if you can support anyone in this sort of situation you naturally do it,” he said.
Southern Grampians Shire mayor Peter Dark made described Walsh’s death as “a very tragic situation”.
“We are very saddened to hear this news and our thoughts and prayers are with his immediate family, both in Adelaide and here in Hamilton,” Dark said.
“I believe Phil was very proud of where he came from and spoke highly of his time in Hamilton — to lose one our former residents in such sad circumstances is just awful.
“He was obviously a well-respected player and coach in his extensive football career and has left a lasting impression on all those he was involved with.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been touched by this tragic event.”
