Players from both clubs will don black armbands and observe a minute’s silence prior to the senior game at Portland’s Hanlon Park.

Walsh died in Adelaide on Friday morning after an alleged domestic dispute. His son Cy was charged with his murder.

The Crows mentor was 55.

Walsh was born and bred in Hamilton.

He played for Hamilton Magpies before going on to carve a 122-game AFL playing career across three clubs.

He spent time as an assistant at West Coast and Port Adelaide, where he worked alongside Mark Williams during the Power’s 2004 premiership.

Hamilton Kangaroos were born out of a merger between the Magpies and Imperials in 2013, joining the Hampden league that season.

Walsh played for the Magpies during their Western Border days, coincidentally against Portland, which also joined Hampden ranks two seasons ago.

Hamilton Kangaroos football director Keven Quinn, who attended Monivae College with Walsh in the 1970s, said the club wanted to honour the first-year Adelaide mentor.

“You are proud of the country boy made good in the big time,” Quinn said.

“Our condolences, regardless of his football connections, go out to his immediate family.”

Quinn said Walsh, who still has family in Hamilton, never forgot his grassroots.

“He was an average country fella – a well-rounded, good natured fellow,” he said.

Quinn, a former Imperials footballer, played against Walsh.

He said he showed traits which transferred to his time at Collingwood, Richmond and Brisbane Bears.

“He was always very determined to do that,” Quinn said of Walsh’s ambition to play at the highest level.

“He shone out as a young fella.”

Hamilton Kangaroos president John Pepper said Walsh’s imprint was still felt in his home town.

“As a district we are terribly proud of him,” he said.

“To do what he’s done – been an assistant coach around Australia until he got the gig at Adelaide…

“There will be a lot of talk around the bars in Hamilton tonight after work about Phil Walsh; people telling stories about him, or about playing on him or against him.”

Southern Grampians Shire also paid tribute to Walsh.

Mayor Peter Dark said it was “a very tragic situation”.

“I believe Phil was very proud of where he came from and spoke highly of his time in Hamilton – to lose one our former residents in such sad circumstances is just awful,” he said.