Phil Walsh murdered

[Lightning McQueen]

After watching the Fox Sports News crossover with Julian De Stoop it sounds like the AFL are giving the Crows the call as to weather the game goes ahead.

It's pretty much how it should be. Only those there can make that call.

[Rik E Boy]

RIP Coach.

[bennymacca]

Unbelievable...

Give the Crows and Geelong 2 points each and play the rest of the round IMO.

I reckon that's what will happen too. Either that or postpone everything for a week.

You can't postpone it, it's either played or it isn't.

They did it with the test matches. Not saying they will but they could.

[JK]

Unbelievable...

Give the Crows and Geelong 2 points each and play the rest of the round IMO.

I reckon that's what will happen too. Either that or postpone everything for a week.

That effectively puts the whole season back a week, which then involves corporate sales already made (especially for finals), stadium contract arrangements etc. Tough one for the AFL community to address but I'm sure they will.

Just can't stop thinking how those young bucks at the Crows must be feeling.

[RoosterMan]

I am still in a state of shock. I was sitting outside enjoy a cup of coffee before work and I screamed out "WHAT" when Triple M announced the news this morning.

There is no way on this earth that the Crows players would be in any position to play this weekend and if the AFL has any common sense and compassion they'd postpone the game or call it off completely and have the teams share the points.

[Lightning McQueen]

They did it with the test matches. Not saying they will but they could.

They can't, the test matches are a total different kettle of fish, you can't reshuffle weekends.

[Dutchy]

I think today is way too early to even think about playing...ideally a decision should be made tomorrow when 24 hours have passed and everyone has some clearer heads, but I suspect they need to make a call either way today.

If it happened a couple of days ago I think playing would have been a good tribute, but just over 48 hours is to close and raw IMO

[mal]

I am shocked

Will the SANFL South Adelaide v Adelaide game be cancelled ?
Will the whole SANFL round be cancelled ?

[bennymacca]

I am shocked

Will the SANFL South Adelaide v Adelaide game be cancelled ?
Will the whole SANFL round be cancelled ?

Can't see any crows players playing this weekend.

[saintal]

I am shocked

Will the SANFL South Adelaide v Adelaide game be cancelled ?
Will the whole SANFL round be cancelled ?

Q1- Yes, Would think so. This time tomorrow players would be preparing for the match--not going to happen.
Q2- No, other games should proceed.

[bennymacca]

[BoundaryRider84]

I reckon the whole round should be postponed. Reckon west coast players could play?

Reckon the round will still be played. and just geelong and adelaide either postponed or split points. remember phil walsh started his coaching career at geelong,

[Jase]

Terrible news...

My little boy came in and said that Phil Walsh had been murdered, one of his mates had posted something on Instagram, I didn't believe him, thought it was a joke or something...

None of this is a joke at all...

Just terrible... obviously I feel for the players but the poor wife, losing a husband at the hand of a son, just terrible...

I'm also thinking of Mark Purser the chaplain down at Crowland... just hoping that he will be of comfort to anyone at the club who wants to speak to him. He's a good bloke (Pastor at the church we used to attend) I'm sure he's struggling as well but will focus on everyone else...

Just a terrible terrible situation...

[bennymacca]

Yeah. He probably has some sort of involvement with half of the clubs in the afl.

[OnSong]

There is surely no way the players mindset could be right 2x days before a scheduled game - how do you even get yourself up for something like that.. this will hit home hard over the coming days, cant see them being fit to play.

Yeah, you wouldn't go to work if it happened to you, so this would be no different to standard bereavement leave really.

[mighty_tiger_79]

Sundays match should be re-scheduled for a midweek later in the year

[FOURTH ESTATE]

When JFK was shot in 1963 the NFL played their weekend of matches while the rival league the AFL decided to postpone it's round of games.

Inhindsight then NFL Commissioner the Late Pete Roselle said it was a major mistake to play and the games should have been postponed

[RoosterMan]

Phil Walsh murder: Adelaide-Geelong clash in doubt

Jon Ralph
Herald Sun
July 03, 2015 10:06AM

UPDATE: THE AFL could cancel Sunday’s Adelaide-Geelong clash in the wake of Phil Walsh’s shocking murder.

It seems inconceivable Adelaide players would be prepared to play only two days after the murder of their senior coach.

The league could postpone that game until later in the year although even that scenario would have challenges for the fixture.

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The AFL said this morning its thoughts were with the Adelaide football club and its staff, coaches and players.

It will await a discussion with the Adelaide Crows about whether Sunday’s game — at 3.20pm at Adelaide Oval against Geelong — will go ahead.

An Adelaide Crows spokesman said no decision had been made on whether Sunday’s game against Geelong — and the Adelaide reserves’ local league SANFL game — would be postponed.

“That’s not yet a priority,” the spokesman said.

Senior members of the club — including chairman Rob Chapman and CEO Andrew Fagan — arrived at the club at 4am to establish a crisis plan.

The players were holding a team meeting at 9am and significant numbers of counsellors are assisting them.


Phil Walsh speaks to his players during his last game — the Round 13 match between Brisbane and Adelaide at the Gabba on June 27. Source: Getty Images

Amid calls for the entire AFL round to be postponed the Hawks and Collingwood were today both teams expecting to tonight’s clash to go ahead.

Hawthorn football manager Chris Fagan said the Hawks had not heard from the AFL about the game being postponed.

He said the club were preparing to play the game, aware there will be an appropriate tribute to Adelaide coach Phil Walsh, murdered overnight.

Collingwood, the club where Walsh started his career, also said they had not been informed about any change to tonight’s game.

The club said it would abide by the AFL’s decision, but will consider an appropriate tribute to Walsh as the day unfolds.

Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon had earlier said on ABC Radio this was not the time for the show to go on.

He suggested postponing or cancelling the round, but given Sydney and Port Adelaide have already started Round 14 there are logistical difficulties.

Some of those players were still being informed of the death of their coach this morning.

Only when it has had that formal discussion with the Crows will the AFL consider whether the game will be postponed.

League spokesman Patrick Keane said the AFL would comment on the matter later today.

There is no precedent for the murder of an AFL coach in football, which puts both the Crows and the AFL in uncharted waters.

The league said it would issue a statement about Walsh’s passing in coming hours.

Adelaide is still coming to grips with the death of head assistant Dean Bailey from cancer in March last year.

The AFLPA have released a statement offering their sympathies to all involved.

“On behalf of all members, the AFL Players’ Association offers its most deepest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of Adelaide coach, Phil Walsh,” it said.

“Our focus from here is the wellbeing of the playing groups and staff of the Adelaide, Port Adelaide and West Coast football clubs.

“We will provide all the necessary support through the services we currently have in place.”

Adelaide Crows champion and current board member Mark Ricciuto said the team would be devastated.

“Imagine what they’re going through,” he told Triple M.

“When you’re a coach of a club you’re a father figure for forty-odd lads from the age of 18 to early thirties. Those lads will be going through a fair bit of grief at the moment.

“It is hard to understand how in two days time they’re going to play a footy match. If it does go ahead, you wonder how they’ll go. I played in a game three days after my cousin died and that was pretty tough. Some people can get through it and some can’t. So it will be interesting to see how the Adelaide Football Club players handle it.”

Crows Premiership Captain Mark Bickley said: “That word of shock is what truly sums it up, I don’t think anyone could possibly even imagine something like this would happen to such a public figure and I think the town is just coming to terms with it as we speak.”

Former Port Adelaide premiership player Warren Tredrea told the Nine Network: “It’s just bloody terrible, and I don’t know how AFL football can go ahead this weekend. I know that probably goes against everything Walsh taught us as players.”

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-pre ... 7426383344

[Ramrod]

After going through a situation at my cricket club where a fellow team member died on the friday in a freak accident we could've easily called the game off. The bloke was one of the most popular blokes at the club. We decided that we would play and although we were mentally not right, it was the best thing for us and we actually played the best cricket we had all year. All people are different so it will be interesting to see what happens.

[laser]

Terrible news.