Career: 1970-1975
Debut: Round 1, 1970 vs Essendon, aged 18 years, 345 days
Carlton Player No. 817
Games: 64
Goals: 111
Guernsey No. 16 (1970) and 18 (1971 - 75)
Last Game: Round 6, 1975 vs Hawthorn, aged 24 years, 16 days
Height: 179cm
Weight: 81kg
DOB: 24 April 1951
DOD: 9 August, 2023
Leading Goalkicker: 1973
Brian Walsh was recruited from the strong Bendigo League club Sandhurst. He came to the attention of the Blues recruiters when he won the Bendigo League's Best and Fairest in 1969. Walsh played 64 games in Navy Blue from Season 1970 onwards, proving himself a dominant goal-kicker in our side at the time. Winning our goalkicking award with 60 goals in 1973, Walsh played 2 games in guernsey #16 in 1970 before moving to guernsey #18 for the rest of his career in Navy Blue. Over all at Carlton he kicked 111 goals.
Walsh played in Carlton's losing Grand Final against Richmond in 1973.
Walsh then moved to Essendon where he played a further 51 games over 1975-1978, booting 100 goals. According to an article in Inside Football (07 Sept. 1978), the Blues received in return for Walsh an U/19's player by the name of Bruce Puxley. Walsh played for VFA team Werribee as Captain-Coach in 1981 where he won the club's best and fairest award.
Walsh coached Fitzroy reserves from 1982 to 1984. Walsh later coached Bendigo FL teams Kyneton and Golden Square, in 2002 his son Darren would be his assistant coach at Golden Square. Walsh was also a coach for TAC Cup Team Bendigo Pioneers.
Brian's son, Darren Walsh, was drafted by the Blues using a Father-Son selection in 1992. Darren played 18 reserves games in 1993 before playing reserves at Geelong, and was later Captain of the Bendigo Diggers. Darren could have gone father-son to either Club of his father. Walsh is considered the most successful coach of the Golden Square Football Club having had premiership success in 1988 & 89, returning later in 2001 for his third flag.
Note: At the end of the 2013 season the Bendigo Pioneers Football Club named it best team of 21 years, the team included three players (Andrew Walker, Luke Livingston and Damien Lock who had played senior football with Carlton and another three players Steven Reaper, Simon Rosa and Michael Braun) who had a run with the Carlton reserves team (the latter player was to become a premiership player with the West Coast Eagles). The team was compiled with the help of former and present Bendigo Pioneer coaches that included two former Carlton players Brian Walsh and Tony Southcombe.
Bendigo All Stars Team (1972-1997).
In 1997 the Bendigo FL compiled their best team for players originating from the BFL VCFL zones for the period from 1972 - 1997, Walsh was named on the interchange in that team.
Brian Walsh Passed away peacefully at Bendigo Hospice on August 9th, 2023. aged 72.
Milestones
50 Games: Round 13, 1974 Vs Geelong100 Goals: Round 18, 1974 Vs Hawthorn
Career Highlights
1972 - 5th Reserves Best & Fairest1973 - President's Trophy: Best Clubman Award
1973 - Leading Goalkicker
Video
Links
Articles: Moving Guernsey Numbers - UP!Blueseum: Summary of playing statistics for Brian Walsh | Walsh's Blueseum Image Gallery