MELBOURNE DEMONS HOPE to organise a Compromise Rules game with Dublin’s footballers in the Irish capital next year as a tribute to AFL legend Jim Stynes.

The Australian newspaper reports that the Demons hope to play the game in either Croke Park or Parnell Park next October.

Stynes is currently being treated for cancer.

The Dublin-born 44-year-old is now president of the Melbourne club.

He won the prestigious Brownlow Medal as a player after making the move down under in the 1980s.

Melbourne chief executive Cameron Schwab intends to put the idea to the AFL in the New Year. He says in The Australian:

It’s a seed of an idea at the moment that basically, if it all came together, would go back to where it all started for Jimmy.

His story is Irish and Australian and significant in both countries.

His documentary which aired here a few months ago was shown in Ireland last week to a tremendous response. If we could take our team to Dublin, to share Jim’s achievements with the Irish, it would be a wonderful thing.

That documentary was indeed shown last week on RTÉ; the incredible Every Heart Beats True is worth a (re-)watch if you have access to the iplayer.

Here’s the trailer: