@bugman5 wants to know if the Essendon fan who spat on Walls as he was being carted off Windy Hill on a stretcher regrets his actions now.
It was probably early 70s, when they had a little injury report for each club in the Boston Bun, that the Essendon one reported that John Williams, a fine CHB for us, #22, was kicked in the face the previous weekend by his opponent, one R Walls, and was concussed.
Tuddy had no regard for Williams and swapped him for Jerker Jenkin. I suppose it did give Rotten Ronnie a run.
Jeez don’t you know to never use big words when singularly unloquacious and diminutive linguistic expressions will satisfactorily accomplish the contemporary necessity.
Walls was a deadset turd at High School and a sniper all his footy career. He was still at high school when Carlton recruited him from the bush and he went to Coburg High which was in my region. I played against him and then with him in the regional school team, and he was not liked at all. We played the High Schools final against University High and Walls lined up on Brent Crosswell, who tore him a new one. Never saw Walls stand up to anyone face to face, he always whacked from behind.
He played for Carlton as a footballer but he is a person still and was part of our great game and needs to be respected especially given his is now deceased.
I asked him why he did that while we were both waiting for a coffee, and he said ‘nobody cares that I was wrong, but if it was a different result I’d have been the only one who was right.’
So he never genuinely believed it.
Obviously there are some things from him that I wasn’t a fan of (his mocking laugh when Quartermaine said, ‘Hello!’ in the midst of our ANZAC Day comeback has changed from galling to charming thanks to the panacea of time) but he had a hell of a career in football.
He was often good to listen to, and was excellent at communicating his obviously vast football knowledge.
Whilst video hopping on YT a few days back, I came across the Ess v Car game at Windy Hill 1975.
Looked like a very physical game, and Carlton piled on 14 goals in the 2nd qtr with the wind.
Was noticeable how well Wallsy moved for one of the taller players on the field.
He kicked 5 that day.
McKay killed us that day and boy o boy, he was a master exponent of the Torp !
I was there and to say it was physical is one hell of an understatement.
From memory, we lead at 1/4 time…which was very much against the form going in…Carlton really turned it on in the 2nd quarter and we were too concerned with fighting…there were fights breaking out all over the ground…only interrupted by them kicking yet another goal.
By today’s standards, just about every player would be missing the next month or so and the AFL coffers would be full.
Strangely enough, I have fond memories of that game
Our U/17 rep footy side had a training session with Wallsy one day. I always remember three things about that session - he was tall and had a real intimidating presence, he told us that “there are strong mistakes and weak mistakes, don’t make weak mistakes” and then there was the way he scowled at me when he saw me training in my Essendon jumper… or maybe I imagined it…
