An Australian rules football coach has been stabbed to death and his son has been charged with his murder.

Phil Walsh, who coaches the Adelaide Crows, was found at his home with multiple stab wounds at 2am local time.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate the 55-year-old, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His son Cy Walsh, 26, was charged with murder after being arrested at a friend's house and detained for psychological assessment.

Police believe the son lived with his parents.

Walsh's wife also suffered a "non-life threatening" leg injury in the incident and was taken to hospital.

Walsh played 122 games for three elite football teams, before moving into coaching in the 1990s.

He took over as head coach of the Crows during the off-season.

It was his first appointment as a head coach and he had been charged with whipping an underperforming team into shape.

"Tragic day for Crows supporters and sport in general... A tragedy that people in Adelaide woke up to this morning," former Adelaide Crows chairman Bill Sanders told state radio ABC.

Walsh was remembered as a father-figure to players and possessing of an easy sense of humour away from the game.

In an interview with a Melbourne newspaper earlier this year, he revealed his computer had a screensaver of a street in Peru where he was struck and almost killed by a bus in 2012.

"That's my wake up call every day, as soon as I turn my computer on. Don't get too angry, Phil," he told the Herald Sun.

However, he admitted his dedication to his career had placed a strain on his family and he had been forced to make efforts to re-connect with his children.

The news of his death stunned the football-mad capital of South Australia state, where crowds of 50,000 regularly pack out the Adelaide Oval to watch the Crows, back-to-back champions in 1997-98.

The club said it was "devastated" by Walsh's death.

The AFL cancelled their game against Geelong Cats on Sunday after talking to clubs and players. The teams will split the championship points.

"Sad news about the passing of Phil Walsh, our thoughts are with his family and friends," Australia national cricket coach Darren Lehmann posted on Twitter.

"RIP Phil Walsh," Australian tennis coach and respected ESPN pundit Darren Cahill tweeted. "So sad & tragic."