Cy Walsh has pleaded not guilty to murdering his father, former Adelaide Crows AFL coach Phil Walsh.

He made the plea by reason of mental incompetence.

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The 26-year-old appeared in Adelaide Magistrates Court through a video link on Friday.

The accused did not speak during the hearing. He was clean shaven with cut slicked back hair and wore a green jumpsuit.

He allegedly stabbed his father to death on July 3 this year at the family’s Somerton Park home in Adelaide’s western suburbs.

He will now face the Supreme Court on February 1 and has been held at a psychiatric facility in Adelaide since being charged with murder.

He will be required to re-enter his plea at that hearing.

Independent psychiatric reports will then be tendered to the court to determine the issue of mental incompetence.

If the court finds a defendant not guilty by reason of mental incompetence, but finds the objective elements of the crime proved, it will then consider a limiting term of supervision or detainment under a mental health licence.

The Adelaide Magistrates Court heard some forensic evidence was still outstanding, including a drug test.

The court is yet to hear any of the allegations against Cy Walsh, who will turn 27 next week.

The AFL world was shocked by the tragic incident, with a match between Adelaide and Geelong cancelled that weekend – and every other match accompanied by moving tributes.

Phil Walsh, 55, had only taken over at the Crows at the start of 2015, leading the club in 12 AFL games before his death.

He played 122 senior VFL-AFL matches for Collingwood, Richmond and the Brisbane Bears before embarking on a distinguished coaching career that saw him take in stints with Port Adelaide, Geelong and West Coast.

– with ABC