Just found out. Another take:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... es-aged-74This one really hurts for some reason. Never knew him. Ex-Carlton people will continue to pass but I was genuinely gutted on reading of his passing. I think he felt like one of those constants that would always be around. His media presence probably instilled this in me a bit.
Even though he wasn't the most impartial commentator, as much as he tried (I would struggle to be nice to Sheeds too

) his knowledge and wisdom was always worth a listen or read.
I echo the sentiment in a previous post that he wasn't guaranteed a flag just because of a super talented side in '87 (of course, it always helps). That Hawthorn team was no pushover. His nous was more obviously shown by the heights he took limited Fitzroy and Brisbane (even Richmond) teams to.
A slight tangent to his many achievements - would today's goal post technology grant him that freakish 'not-goal' in the last of the '70 GF that he furiously debated with the ump?
On a side note, I wasn't sure what to post in the 'what TC means to me' (or whatever) thread the other day. Here's my answer. I came straight here to commiserate about a Carlton figure that means more to me than I realised, one I took for granted. I'm actually a bit teary, which feels somewhat ridiculous, but there it is.
The school teacher went out with the same pragmatic attitude that his players feared, his media peers should have learnt from, and his teammates and coaches must have relished. It's been a blast but the final siren's gone and it's time to leave the field. Carry the flame without me.
Vale, Wallsie.