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Australian Football League (AFL) great Robert Walls has passed away aged 74 after using voluntary assisted dying laws in Melbourne.
The former player won three Premiership titles with Carlton Football Club and another as a coach before moving into the media as a pundit later in his career.
He was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, in 2023 and took the decision to end his own life with the assistance of medication.
His family told the Australian media that Walls died overlooking the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the home of AFL in the state of Victoria, accommpanied by his children Rebecca, Daniel and David and his partner Julie.
Walls' family released a statement to confirm his passing and revealed his death comes after spending more than 250 nights in hospital the last two years.
The statement read: "On behalf of the family of Robert Walls, the AFL wishes to advise that Robert passed away today at the age of 74, after 14 years as a league player, 16 years as a coach, 25 years as a commentator and a lifetime as a self-proclaimed 'fan'.
"Having battled cancer for more than two years, Robert did it his way and chose to end a fight that had seen him spend more than 250 nights in hospital during the past two years."
The state of Victoria introduced voluntary assisted dying laws in 2019 to allow a person in the latter stages of critical illness to end their own life with the use of medication following the approval of two doctors.
Walls played 218 matches for Carlton FC, winning premierships in 1968, 1970 and 1972. His coaching career included a 1987 win for Carlton, as well as guiding the Brisbane Lions and Richmond Tigers.
Carlton paid tribute to Walls on their website and labelled him a ‘one of the great servants of the game’.
“The Carlton Football Club and the League football community are today mourning the passing at 74 of one of the game’s great servants, the Blues’ three-time premiership player and premiership coach Robert Walls,” they wrote.
“Walls faced his final days with extraordinary courage and a remarkable perspective. He took time to reflect on a life well-lived and was able to share his farewells with the many, many players, officials and media representatives whom he had met along the way.
“As he said: ‘I’ve had a wonderful life.’”
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