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Gerard Healy • May 15th, 2025 8:02 pm
As the football world mourns the loss of the great man, Robert Walls, who passed away this morning, I’d like to pay a personal tribute to Wallsy, by reading an edited letter I sent to him on Monday morning.
Hi Rob,
I guess it’s now not too long until you leave us, so it’s my final chance to thank you again for being you and wish you eternal peace for what’s next.
I sit here, writing with tears starting to flow, for you have been a great friend for many years in many ways, and sometimes it’s not until it’s nearly over until you actually consider and appreciate the wonder of true friendship.
I’ve always valued yours, as you know, but sometimes we are just too busy chasing the next whatever to appreciate the now, as much as I should have.
But for us, his is the now, and there’s not too many nows left. Rob, when I look back to good times with you, I think of our time in the media together, at 3AW, and Fox.
So many good times, strange times and laughs with Rex and Bondy and co., who brought out a totally different you.
You’re a great combination, laughing and joking in between being serious and also discovering the footy punt. That was hilarious at times, and heaven help a team that cost you a footy quad.
The term, ‘Effing Freo’ comes to mind.
Golf games and international rules, and state games where great to share with you and learn from you, particularly one where you told everyone in our first team meeting to eff off if you don’t want to be part of it.
Before you left the room for the players to decide. When you came back, the decision was made, and we went with those who were left in the room when you returned. Not everyone stayed.
It was a worded message in slightly more gentle terms, but it was the message that you wanted to send. It led to a total team commitment and a victory we long celebrated by some 70 points or thereabouts.
Our days on the couch were many, with Mike and Billy and Leroy, and let’s not forget Libby our favourite. Yet, it passed to quickly.
Your capacity to flush it with the famous baseball bat would have made Babe Ruth jealous, but your analysis and sparring with Mike was TV gold.
I’ll never forget the birth of Clarko’s cluster. We had the vision, we studied the vision, but we just couldn’t come up with the name until five seconds before we went to air, I yelled it across the floor.
‘Wallsy! It’s Clarko’s Cluster!’ You picked it up, and you ran with it as if we’d been talking about it for hours.
Who would have thought a hard nosed but brilliant footballer and an iconic albeit a touch grumpy coach, would also be a natural behind the lens with Libby’s makeup on.
Obviously, your family is your greatest private joy and mark on the world. But you have bene an incredible influence on so many people outside the family unit and I’m sure you’ve found out more and more than you knew over the past few months, and in particular the last couple of weeks.
Through football you have left your mark in an indelible way on us all, and also for the game itself, premiership coach was amazing, but godfather of football in Queensland was structurally far more important for the game than anything else, leaving a marked historical footprint.
Let alone the famous ‘huddle’, which revolutionized footy.
If you only you had time to sort out effing Freo, but I’m sure you’ll get there, given the list your son David has built.
So, Rob, there is not much more, but as I said last week and I promised you last week, I’d have one last crack at convincing you about the afterlife that we’ve discussed at length.
But I’ve decided against it, knowing that if you run into St. Peter, he won’t be able to resist drafting you.
Rob for everything, thank you. You have been a great mentor, support and friend over many years, and your guidance has always been spot on.
Over the last few years our friendship has grown much stronger, and we’ve had many chats and coffees at your place on many topics as you know.
Your empathy and guidance and humour and resilience and understanding and love for you family and of course your pooch will remain with me forever.
Forever, Rob. Go in peace Rob, whenever that is, and go knowing you have left your mark on this world in so many ways. Much more important than football, that I’m sure you know.
There’ll never be another you, Robert, Rob, Wallsy, and I’m so privileged to have called you a friend.
We’ll miss you forever rob, and tell St. Peter when you see him, that you’re a big game player, for that’s what you were in all facets of life.
Love, Gerard.
They were my edited final words to Wallsy. It’s been a difficult time. Strange, in fact, talking to Wallsy about him, about doing a special edition On the Couch with Mike for him just before he passed away, knowing, he was about to pass in unusual and challenging circumstances which he did this morning.
But he always said he was okay. Always said he was fine. Always said he had a blessed life, seen his kids and their kids grow up, love them and was proud of them.
He’d thought he’d been lucky, and was comfortable taking the option he did, as he got to properly say farewell to those he cherished and maintained dignity until the end, and that was important to Rob.
Finally, to Robert’s family, and his sister, you’ve been as stoic and as brave as your father, and your brother. He’d be absolutely proud of you.
