Walls played 259 games between 1967 and 1980 for the Carlton and Fitzroy football clubs before going on to coach four different sides, including Fitzroy and Carlton as well as Richmond and the Brisbane Bears over a span of 16 years and 347 matches.
The 74-year-old had been suffering from an onset of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia since 2023, and with the cancer sadly returning this year and prompting a terminal diagnosis, Walls chose to activate his right to voluntary assisted dying under Victorian law.
With his three children, his wife Annette and a doctor qualified to administer euthanasia, Walls passed away peacefully on Thursday morning.
His involvement in elite football lasted more than 50 years after he followed up his coaching career with more than 20 years in the print, radio and television media as a journalist and colour commentator, working for television stations Ten and Fox Footy as well as radio networks 3AW and SEN amongst others.
Walls' previous wife Erin passed away from lung cancer in 2006 and it was the final moments of her life that influenced Robert's decision to seek euthanasia, according to his son David, who revealed that Walls had decided a month ago in consultation with the family to undergo a peaceful passing.
The passing of the beloved four-time VFL Premiership winner and Carlton Team of the Century member shook the AFL community, with many of his colleagues taking to social media in the early afternoon to pay their tributes.