As the floodlights suddenly dimmed over the iconic Adelaide Oval last night, fans and players alike fell silent to honour one of the greats.
Port Adelaide Football Club players gathered in the middle of the ground before images of their former member of coaching staff Phil Walsh flashed across the screen in a beautiful montage of his incredible life as a player and mentor in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
While Aussie band Birds of Tokyo’s song Lanterns echoed across the ground, more than 40,000 supporters shone their phone lights bright throughout the stunning tribute. It sent a collective spine-tingle through the crowd, and to those watching at home.
Phil’s passing has left South Australians bereft.
The video, which followed Port’s thrilling three-point victory against Collingwood – a club where Phil spent much of his playing career – came a just under week after the sports world woke to the shock news that the beloved Adelaide Crows head coach was killed overnight , aged just 55.
His son Cy, 26, was charged with his stabbing murder, and his wife Meredith suffered non life-threatening wounds to her legs.
Fans have flocked from across the state to honour Adelaide’s head coach.
Port players were visibly distraught last week after losing a beloved former member of their coaching staff, who this year made a shock move to cross-town rivals, the Adelaide Crows. Last week, as players came to terms with the horrific event, the Crows-Geelong match that was scheduled for Sunday was cancelled.
The Crows will bravely take the field this Saturday night for the first time, poignantly against the West Coast Eagles – where Phil was a also a former member of the coaching staff.
As floral tributes continue to stack up outside the Crows’ West Lakes headquarters , a private memorial service for Phil’s family, friends, and colleagues is being planned for Wednesday at Adelaide Oval.
