Jim Stynes

Infobox afl player


| firstname = Jim
lastname = Stynes


image capt = Jim Stynes in 2008
| birthdate = Birth date and age|1966|4|23|df=y
birthplace = Dublin, Ireland
originalteam = Ballyboden St. Enda's (Gaelic football)
dead = alive
deathdate =
heightweight = 199cm / 99kg
deathplace =
debutdate =
debutteam = Melbourne Demons
debutopponent =
debutstadium =
playingteams = Melbourne Demons (1987-1998)

264 games, 130 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = 1998
careerhighlights =

*244 consecutive games (league record)
*Night premiership 1987
*Brownlow Medal 1991
*Leigh Matthews Trophy 1991
*4 club best and fairest awards
*All-Australian 1991, 1993
* Inducted Australian Football Hall of Fame 2003

Jim Stynes OAM (born 23 April 1966) is a well known Irish Australian who came to fame as a gaelic footballer who converted to Australian rules football (with no prior knowledge of the game) at the age of eighteen. He went on to become one of Australian rules football's most celebrated players, with a 12-year career from 1987 to 1998 in the Australian Football League which was played entirely with the Melbourne Football Club. Among his honours is being the first (and to date only) player recruited from outside Australia to win the prestigious Brownlow Medal and is holder of the record for the most consecutive games in VFL/AFL history.

Following his career, he became known for his charity work and is currently chairman of the Melbourne FC.

Gaelic Football

James Stynes was born in Dublin, Ireland [ [http://www.icmi.com.au/Speaker/Sports/Jim_Stynes Speaker Jim Stynes - Speakers Bureau @ ICMI ] ] . He played Gaelic football with Dublin's Ballyboden club as a boy along with his brother and former captain of Dublin, Brian Stynes where they were both considered to be among the club's best [ [http://www.bodengaa.ie/about_us/about_us.43.html About Us - Ballyboden St. Enda's GAA - Gaelic Football, Hurling, Camogie, and Ladies Football - Dublin, Leinster, Ireland ] ] .

Aussie Rules Career

Stynes' first contact with Australian Rules came in 1984 when he answered an ad in a local paper from the Melbourne Football Club seeking talented Gaelic footballers as possible recruits. Australia had participated against Ireland in tests and Stynes native football has some similarities to Australian Rules. The move, which became known as "The Irish experiment" was credited to Melbourne Football Club's legend, Ron Barassi. In 1984, Stynes was on Dublin's winning side in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship.

Stynes suitably impressed Melbourne officials and he was brought to Australia to undergo a crash course in Australian Rules before making his debut for the Melbourne underage team in 1985.

At first, Stynes was a slow developer but the Melbourne coaching panel's perseverance with him paid off when Stynes made his senior debut for Melbourne in 1987.

At the beginning of 1987, he played in a night premiership side.

In the 1987 preliminary Final Melbourne were leading Hawthorn with a minute to go when the Dubliner made the mistake of running across a free for the opposition. His error resulted in a 15 metre penalty which Gary Buckenara goaled after the final siren for a two point win.

Styne's best year came in 1991 where he won the Brownlow medal. In a great year, he was highly favoured to win the event. In doing so he became the first (and so far only) overseas-born player to win the award.

Stynes eventually played 264 games with Melbourne before his retirement in 1998, placing him second on Melbourne's all-time games tally.

Of the 264 games, 244 were consecutive (an Australian Football League record) and the honours he achieved during his career included both main AFL "Best and Fairest" awards, the Brownlow Medal and AFL Players Association MVP award (now known as the Leigh Matthews Trophy) in 1991, four club Best and Fairest awards with Melbourne and All-Australian honours in 1991 and 1993.

Post Football

Following retirement in 1998, Stynes assumed the role of an anti-racism officer within the AFL, a cause close to his heart due to his declared astonishment at the level of racial abuse he (and players of non-white Australian background) had experienced throughout his career.

The Jim Stynes Medal is awarded by the AFL to the best Australian player in the International Rules series. Stynes name was also used in the inaugural International Australian Football Youth Tournament.

Stynes' younger brother, David, played for Ireland's winning team in the inaugural Australian Football International Cup, an International Australian Rules competition held in Melbourne in 2002. He also played for the defending champions in the 2005 event. Stynes' brother Brian was a Gaelic Footballer who played for the Dublin GAA team. He played against his brother in the International Rules against Ireland many times. Brian also played 2 AFL games for the Melbourne Demons in 1992.

Stynes has a corporate function room bearing his name at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

In 2003 Stynes was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Melbourne Chairman

In 2008 Stynes began expressing an interest in becoming chairman. It was long speculated that the popular figure would assume at the end of Paul Gardner's term. [http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/dees-face-day-of-reckoning/2008/06/09/1212863547596.html Dees face day of reckoning] ]

In June 2008, Melbourne Chairman Paul Gardner stepped down as Melbourne President to make way for Stynes. [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23856097-661,00.html Jim Stynes new chairman of Melbourne Football Club] ] In Styne's press conference, he became emotional - openly showing his love for the struggling club. His early-stated main goal at this stage is to increase the Melbourne membership number - especially junior membership base as stated on The Footy Show on Thursday June 12th 2008.

Shortly following his election he declared his staunch stance against any proposed relocation of the club to the Gold Coast or othewise. [ [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23854990-2722,00.html Irish tears as Jim Stynes takes Demon chalice] from The Australian]

Charity Work

After finishing his AFL career, Stynes began to concentrate primarily on his youth charity, the [ [http://www.reach.org.au/index.php?id=1 Reach: Reach Home ] ] Reach Foundation. Reach looks to help teenagers at risk of suicide or depression, and has become a prominent youth worker in Victoria, Australia. The aim of Reach is to support young people on their journey to find their own truth, and to follow their dreams. Reach achieves this by creating a "safe space" for groups of young people to develop trust, openness and the freedom to express their concerns, perceptions, fears and aspirations and to recognise that they are not alone.

In 2003, Stynes was named Victorian of the Year [ [http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/vic/content/2003/s895238.htm Jim Stynes awarded Victorian of the Year honour] ] and has worked on government advisory boards including the 1997 Victorian Government Suicide Task Force and he currently sits on the Federal Minister For Youth's Youth Advisory Consultative Forum Committee.

In 2007, he was awarded an OAM (Order of Australia Medal) for his work with youth and contribution to Australian rules football in 2007. [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23856100-19742,00.html Fast facts on Jim Stynes] ]

Books

*cite book | author=Jim Stynes | title=Whatever It Takes | publisher=Celebrity Publishing | year=1996 | id=ISBN 1-875481-40-0

References