Following the tragic death of Adelaide Crows coach Phil Walsh in the early hours of Friday morning, the outpouring of grief and tributes in the sporting community have appeared on an overwhelming scale.
On Friday, #ScarvesOutForWalshy began to trend on social media, as fans paid tribute to the late AFL great. Yesterday, a makeshift memorial at Adelaide Crows’ Headquarters overflowed with flowers, scarves and guernseys; the Tigers vs Giants game yesterday also featured a moving tribute between the teams, via a post-match huddle and minute of silence.
Today, the Adelaide Oval was opened to the public, allowing fans to converge and pay their respects to Phil Walsh. ABC reports that at least 10,000 fans attended the Adelaide Oval today in Crows colours, partaking in an affecting minute of silence in the stands.
Silence #weflyasone #RIPPhilWalsh pic.twitter.com/qlHu5BGVx3
— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) July 5, 2015
Today’s tribute to Phil Walsh took place during a previously-scheduled match between the Adelaide Crows and Geelong Cats – but which was cancelled on Friday, after news on Walsh’s death emerged. A siren at 2:50pm sounded this afternoon, marking what would have been the match’s opening whistle.
That moment when the siren sounded… I have no words. #weflyasone @TheAdelaideOval pic.twitter.com/I6KbRaEodp
— Emma Quayle (@emmasq) July 5, 2015
On Friday, Phil Walsh’s 26-year-old son was charged with murder and sedated at the Flinders Medical Centre. Yesterday, Cy Walsh was transferred to a secure mental health facility in Adelaide, while Phil Walsh’s wife Meredith was discharged from Flinders Medical Centre after being treated for stab wounds.
Today, Cy Walsh’s sister Quinn posted a tribute to her late father and “one and only hero” on social media, as the 22-year-old travels to Australia from a holiday in the US. Quinn Walsh wrote: “Hold your family close, never for a second take them for granted for that will be the second you lose them. I have lost half my family in a blink of an eye, nothing will be right with the world again.”
Via ABC.
Lead image by Daniel Kalisz via Getty.
