THE AFL MEETING between the Melbourne Demons and Brisbane Lions over the weekend had a distinct Irish flavour to the occasion.
It was a 16.8 (104) to 15.12 (102) win for the Demons. And after each of their 16 goals, the Melbourne Cricket Ground [MCG] became a sea of green for the victorious hosts.
Fans celebrated with an Irish jig and waved special hats donning the shamrock. The Demons players wore guernseys which carried that symbol too, and also took to the field in green socks.
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It was all to honour a legend of the club who died too young. The spirit of Dublin-born Jim Stynes, who died in 2012 at just 45 after a long battle with cancer, lives on in the red and blue that he represented with such distinction.
This is the second year of ‘Jim’s Game’, a fundraising effort for the Jim Stynes Foundation. Melbourne played against an interstate team for last year’s edition, and expanded on the concept this time around by staging it for the defending Premiership champions.
Brian Stynes, who won an All-Ireland with Dublin in 1995, has played an instrumental role in bringing the cause to life.
“It has really gone from strength to strength,” Stynes tells The 42 of the game to honour his older brother.
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“This year, we really got the Irish behind it. We’ve raised over AU$130,000 this year. They were budgeting for about 32,000 [fans] because it was against last year’s Premiers [champions] Brisbane Lions.
“But we got 41,500 to the game. And we gave out free admission if you had an Irish passport, because we have the Irish dancers and we have sort of a festival of Irish along with the great cause.”
Jim Stynes was one of the first stars to arise from the AFL’s ‘Irish Experiment’. He made 244 consecutive appearances for Melbourne, and 264 in all, before his retirement in 1998. In 1991, he became the first non-Australian born recipient of the prestigious Brownlow Medal, which is the highest individual honour in that competition. He kicked 130 goals for Melbourne throughout his career and was inducted in the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
His 264-game record stood strong for many years until Zach Tuohy made his 265th appearance in 2023 as the Geelong Cats defeated North Melbourne. But even as the Laois native surpassed that number, he paid tribute to the Dubliner, calling him “an absolute inspiration” for paving the way for the Irish hopefuls who followed his example.
In Melbourne, his memory is forever enshrined through his achievements in sport, as well as his work off the pitch.
He established the Reach Foundation which helps young people with mental health issues. His wife Samantha set up the Jim Stynes Foundation after his death, which now funds the Reach programme, and provides assistance for Aboriginal communities.
Brian, who lives in Melbourne, has regular encounters with the people whose lives were altered by the kindness of his brother.
“He changed a lot of lives for young people, and they’re all adults now. I walk down the street and people tell me all the time about what he did to change their lives when they were having difficulties as a younger person.
“Up in Alice Springs, which is in the middle of Australia near Ayers Rock in the desert, the Aboriginal communities play footy on the desert sand. We built an oval in the desert. It’s fantastic for them to come in and play all the games.”
The caps worn in the MCG for Jim’s Game carried a JSF logo to honour the Jim Stynes Foundation, but Brian was cautioned that they might not be a big seller.
“The marketing department said, ‘There’s no way you’ll sell 2,500 of them.’ We took a chance, got them out there, and sold them all before the game started. It meant that we actually had none to sell at the ground, so that was fantastic.”
There’s a demand for those caps in Ireland too. A special group of friends and former teammates of Jim Stynes have been in touch with Brian to send a batch over.
Before he left for his adventure in Australia, Jim won a minor All-Ireland title with Dublin in 1984. Paul Clarke was a member of that side who went on to wan a senior All-Ireland with Brian Stynes in 1995.
He has always ensured that their teammate Down Under felt the connection from home, and was quick to inquire about the caps after the launch of Jim’s Game.
Jim Stynes pictured at the Melbourne Cricket Ground [MCG] in 2010. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
“Paul’s been great with keeping that team and even our ’95 team up to date on WhatsApp,” Brian continues. “He rang me up after the launch on St Patrick’s Day. He picked it up on social media and he told me all the lads want to get a hat.
“I sent 30 hats over to Dublin so that’s amazing too.”
Brian continues to travel home for the All-Ireland finals every year, and is hoping to organise a special fundraiser around that trip next year. He wants to bring a group from Melbourne on a tour of where Jim grew up and where his ashes were scattered, while also taking in a hurling and football All-Ireland semi-final.
From Dublin to Melbourne, the spirit of Jim Stynes continues to be a powerful force in all the places where he left his mark.
“His legacy is really strong here,” says Brian. “He’s got a massive bronze statue outside the MCG.
“He’s definitely going to be remembered for a while.”
More information about the Jim Stynes Foundation is available here
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'His legacy is strong here' – Melbourne's special game to remember the great Jim Stynes
THE AFL MEETING between the Melbourne Demons and Brisbane Lions over the weekend had a distinct Irish flavour to the occasion.
It was a 16.8 (104) to 15.12 (102) win for the Demons. And after each of their 16 goals, the Melbourne Cricket Ground [MCG] became a sea of green for the victorious hosts.
Fans celebrated with an Irish jig and waved special hats donning the shamrock. The Demons players wore guernseys which carried that symbol too, and also took to the field in green socks.
It was all to honour a legend of the club who died too young. The spirit of Dublin-born Jim Stynes, who died in 2012 at just 45 after a long battle with cancer, lives on in the red and blue that he represented with such distinction.
This is the second year of ‘Jim’s Game’, a fundraising effort for the Jim Stynes Foundation. Melbourne played against an interstate team for last year’s edition, and expanded on the concept this time around by staging it for the defending Premiership champions.
Brian Stynes, who won an All-Ireland with Dublin in 1995, has played an instrumental role in bringing the cause to life.
“It has really gone from strength to strength,” Stynes tells The 42 of the game to honour his older brother.
“This year, we really got the Irish behind it. We’ve raised over AU$130,000 this year. They were budgeting for about 32,000 [fans] because it was against last year’s Premiers [champions] Brisbane Lions.
“But we got 41,500 to the game. And we gave out free admission if you had an Irish passport, because we have the Irish dancers and we have sort of a festival of Irish along with the great cause.”
Jim Stynes was one of the first stars to arise from the AFL’s ‘Irish Experiment’. He made 244 consecutive appearances for Melbourne, and 264 in all, before his retirement in 1998. In 1991, he became the first non-Australian born recipient of the prestigious Brownlow Medal, which is the highest individual honour in that competition. He kicked 130 goals for Melbourne throughout his career and was inducted in the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
His 264-game record stood strong for many years until Zach Tuohy made his 265th appearance in 2023 as the Geelong Cats defeated North Melbourne. But even as the Laois native surpassed that number, he paid tribute to the Dubliner, calling him “an absolute inspiration” for paving the way for the Irish hopefuls who followed his example.
In Melbourne, his memory is forever enshrined through his achievements in sport, as well as his work off the pitch.
He established the Reach Foundation which helps young people with mental health issues. His wife Samantha set up the Jim Stynes Foundation after his death, which now funds the Reach programme, and provides assistance for Aboriginal communities.
Brian, who lives in Melbourne, has regular encounters with the people whose lives were altered by the kindness of his brother.
“He changed a lot of lives for young people, and they’re all adults now. I walk down the street and people tell me all the time about what he did to change their lives when they were having difficulties as a younger person.
“Up in Alice Springs, which is in the middle of Australia near Ayers Rock in the desert, the Aboriginal communities play footy on the desert sand. We built an oval in the desert. It’s fantastic for them to come in and play all the games.”
The caps worn in the MCG for Jim’s Game carried a JSF logo to honour the Jim Stynes Foundation, but Brian was cautioned that they might not be a big seller.
“The marketing department said, ‘There’s no way you’ll sell 2,500 of them.’ We took a chance, got them out there, and sold them all before the game started. It meant that we actually had none to sell at the ground, so that was fantastic.”
There’s a demand for those caps in Ireland too. A special group of friends and former teammates of Jim Stynes have been in touch with Brian to send a batch over.
Before he left for his adventure in Australia, Jim won a minor All-Ireland title with Dublin in 1984. Paul Clarke was a member of that side who went on to wan a senior All-Ireland with Brian Stynes in 1995.
He has always ensured that their teammate Down Under felt the connection from home, and was quick to inquire about the caps after the launch of Jim’s Game.
“Paul’s been great with keeping that team and even our ’95 team up to date on WhatsApp,” Brian continues. “He rang me up after the launch on St Patrick’s Day. He picked it up on social media and he told me all the lads want to get a hat.
“I sent 30 hats over to Dublin so that’s amazing too.”
Brian continues to travel home for the All-Ireland finals every year, and is hoping to organise a special fundraiser around that trip next year. He wants to bring a group from Melbourne on a tour of where Jim grew up and where his ashes were scattered, while also taking in a hurling and football All-Ireland semi-final.
From Dublin to Melbourne, the spirit of Jim Stynes continues to be a powerful force in all the places where he left his mark.
“His legacy is really strong here,” says Brian. “He’s got a massive bronze statue outside the MCG.
“He’s definitely going to be remembered for a while.”
More information about the Jim Stynes Foundation is available here
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AFL Brian Stynes GAA Gaelic Football Jim Stynes Legend Melbourne Demons