GAA and AFL mourn death of Jim Stynes

GAA and AFL mourn death of Jim Stynes
JIM STYNES 1966-2012
THE GAA and the AFL are mourning the death at the age of 45 of Jim Stynes.on Mon 19 March 2012
An All-Ireland minor medallist with Dublin in 1984, Stynes went on to have the greatest career in the Australian rules of any Irish player.
Diagnosed with cancer in 2009, Stynes passed away in the company of his family in Melbourne yesterday.
His move to Australia was an obvious loss to Dublin footballers when he was originally scouted by the great Ron Barassi and joined the Melbourne Demons with whom he forged a remarkable relationship, playing for the club in an AFL record 244 consecutive matches between 1987 and 1998 and winning the Australian game’s Player of the Year accolade, the Brownlow medal in 1991.
Two years later he was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame and was named in the Melbourne Team of the Century.
Mobile and durable, he played in the engine room of the Australian game as a ruckman and overcame the disappointment as a rookie of committing a technical foul that cost his club the 1987 preliminary final against Hawthorn to become one of the modern game’s most respected players.
After his playing career ended he involved himself in the administration of the Demons, as the club struggled with rising debt and four years ago took over as president and played a key role in eliminating Melbourne’s debt.
His sporting links with Ireland remained strong.
He became a key figure in international rules, playing in three test series – always with the away team – in 1987, ’90 and when the internationals resumed in 1998.
After that year’s first test then Ireland manager Colm O’Rourke asked unavailingly that Stynes be allowed play for Ireland in the second.
After his playing career had ended he remained involved as a selector with the Australian teams and the medal for the best AFL player in the series is named after him.
Although clearly unwell and frail, he appeared in Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium last October to throw in the ball for the first test in the 2011 series, which was won by Ireland.
His activities off the field also earned Jim Stynes great respect.
He established the Reach Foundation in 1994, a project to promote mental health and wellbeing among young people. In 2003 he was honoured by his home state as Victorian of the Year.
He is survived by his wife Samantha, daughter Matisse and son Tiernan as well as his extended family in Australia and Dublin.
His brother Brian, who also moved out to Australia, was a senior All-Ireland medallist with Dublin in 1995.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0320/1224313581925.html