Jim Stynes

DOB: April 23, 1966
Died: March 20, 2012

Debut: Round 3, 1987 against Geelong at Kardinia Park
Last Game: Preliminary Final 1998 against North Melbourne at MCG

Games: 264
Goals: 130
Career Statistics (external link)

Wins	Draws	Losses	Winning %
135	1	128	51.13

From: Dublin, Ireland

Number: 37 1987, 11 1988-1998

Honours
Brownlow Medal - 1991
Grand Final team - 1988
Best and Fairest - 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997
All Australian - 1991, 1993
AFL Consecutive Games record holder (244)
Club President - 2008 - 2009
150 Heroes selection
Team of the Century member
AFLPA Most Valuable Player - 1991
MFC Most Consistent Player - 1991, 1997
MFC Best Clubman - 1988
Media Association Player of the Year - 1991
Australian Football Hall of Fame member
Victoria state player - 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994
Australian International Rules player - 1987, 1988, 1998
Irish International Rules player - 1990
AFL Life Member
Vice Captain - 1991 - 1994
Reserves Best and Fairest - 1987

Statistical categories led:
Most consecutive games : 244
Most career Disposals : 4985
Most career marks : 1516
Most career free kicks for : 559
Most career free kicks against : 497

Recruited from Ireland as part of Ron Barassi's "Irish Experiment", Stynes came to the club while they were enjoying a surplus of ruckmen and, lacking a natural feel for the game despite a year of Under 19's where he finished second in the Best and Fairest, he was farmed out to VFA club Prahran midway through 1986 to learn his craft.

In his first intra-club practice matches he had been shadowed by Peter Keenan who, acting as an on-field coach, educated him on how to play the ruck and despite his success as a teacher Stynes was no longer eligible for the Under 19's and there was no spot for him amongst the senior players.

After playing 12 games with the Two Blues (where he would finish second in the Best and Fairest) and helping them to a Division Two Preliminary Final Stynes returned in 1987 and debuted early that year as the club's third Irishman behind Paul Earley and Sean Wight.

Dropped after his first senior game, Stynes bounced back to play in the 1987 Night Premiership victory in just his third senior game. When Peter Moore retired halfway through the season he won a permanent ruck role within the team. He impressed in the role and won the Reserves Best and Fairest despite spending much of the year in the seniors, but his season ended with a famous run across the mark in the Preliminary Final which gifted Gary Buckenera a 15m penalty and an easier shot at goal after the siren to win the match.

Despite his horror finish to the year Stynes was chosen to play in the the Australian International Rules side at the end of the year against a touring Irish team. He toured Ireland with the Australian side a year later.

Stung by the horrific end to his first season in the big league Stynes threw himself into training and even beat elite Australian athlete Steve Monaghetti in a 7.5km race up a Ballarat mountain during 1988 pre-season training. Monaghetti might not have been running at 100% pace, he even spent time running alongside the pack encouraging them, but it was still a remarkable finish.

Stynes played a dominant 1991 season and was an easy winner of the Brownlow Medal. It was one of the most amazing stories in the history of our game - that a player had come from overseas and not only learnt the game but mastered it was amazing. More so considering that a lesser man would have crumbled under the aftermath of his 1987 gaffe.

He continued to be one of his side's best in the next few years, winning three more best and fairest awards to join Allan La Fontaine as the only men to win the award four times at Melbourne.

Stynes played 244 consecutive games of VFL/AFL football, beating the record of 204 set by Richmond's Jack Titus more than fifty years before. The run, which saw Stynes play with a multitude of injuries, only ended with a broken hand suffered in round 4, 1998 against Carlton at Optus Oval. A few weeks later he was struck down with injury again, suffering a minor left knee injury during his side's disappointing loss to St. Kilda.

Stynes announced his retirement on October 3, 1998 at the Melbourne Best and Fairest count, and played his last game of competitive football in the International Rules series of that year. The Demons coaching staff had made it clear that he would play second fiddle to youngster Jeff White in 1999, and Stynes decided to bow out on his own terms.

A third brother David played in the Melbourne Reserves during 1997.

He was a ruck coach at the Demons from 2000 until the end of 2002.

After his retirement Stynes continued his work with the Reach Youth Foundation, which he had formed in 1994. In 2000 he was named Victorian of the Year by the Herald Sun newspaper in recognition of help the foundation had provided to more than 120,000 people since its formation, and in 2001 was on the selection panel which chose Grant Thomas as St Kilda coach. He also won the official Victorian of the Year award in 2003 and in 2007 he received the medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)

Ascending to the presidency with the resignation of Paul Gardner, Stynes set about repairing the fractions in the club and creating a united front. Soon after taking office it was announced that Melbourne were in even more financial trouble that had been thought and a Debt Demolition month was announced to try and wipe a sizeable chunk of the debt off. It succeeded.

On Wednesday the 1st of July 2009, Channel 9 and Fox Sports reported Stynes' was to step down as Melbourne chairman in a press conference on Thursday the 2nd of July.

On Thursday the 2nd of July, Stynes confirmed that he would take "a break from the club, not permanent leave" as he battled cancer. Vice President, Don McLardy, was nominated to take the chairmanship.

In October 2009 Stynes announced via Twitter that doctors had found a tumour on his brain and that he would be forced to undergo radiation therapy. He returned as President but continued to battle the disease, eventually being forced to retire as a director and President in early 2012 as his condition worsened.

Stynes succumbed to his illness soon after, leaving behind an amazing legacy both on and off field.