Some bad news for Big Jim

Former Dublin Gaelic footballer and current Melbourne Demons President Jim Stynes has revealed he has cancer.

The 43-year-old told a press conference this morning in Melbourne that he will be taking a break from his role at the Aussie Rules club, due to “health reasons”.

Stynes revealed to the assembled media how he found out that he had cancer.

Three weeks ago I found out that I had a lump in my back. It was just random and guys told me that I should take it out and have a look at it, he said.

I found out that it was cancerous and so I was sent in to do a whole load of follow-up tests and scans and so on.

I found out that I thought it might be just located in that one area - but it’s not.

It’s spread quite a bit and I have a journey to go on lets say.

While he will remain at the helm of the Melbourne Football Club, his responsibilities will be lessened and his duties will be delegated to other board members in the interim, as he bids to return to full health.

Stynes was supported at the press conference by his wife Sam, club vice-president Don McClardy, CEO Cameron Schwab, as well as various Melbourne players.

McClardy will take up Stynes’ duties while he is undergoing a programme of recovery.

Former Melbourne president Joe Gutnick said that Stynes plays an integral role at the club.

He is an integral part of the footy programme, especially in the most recent period of time, he said.

He has got a way with everybody and is able to unite everybody, so he is going to be sorely missed at the club.

Stynes began his AFL career as an 18-year-old rookie, recruited from Ballyboden St Endas back in 1980, having had no previous knowledge of the game.

He went on to play 264 games with Melbourne, including a 244-game unbroken run and won the 1991 Brownlow Medal - the Aussie Rules’ equivalent of the Footballer of the Year award here in Ireland.

Stynes became President of the Melbourne Demons in 2008. Outside of the club he was named as Victorian of the Year in 2001 and 2003, for his work with his own charity, the Reach Foundation, a group committed to helping teenagers at risk of suicide or depression.

Bad news for him obviously - doesn’t sound good that it’s in more than one area.

How did he end up in Australia in the first place? Was he recruited or did he go off on his own initiative or what?

[quote=“therock67”]Bad news for him obviously - doesn’t sound good that it’s in more than one area.

How did he end up in Australia in the first place? Was he recruited or did he go off on his own initiative or what?[/QUOTE]

He was recruited through a series of trials held in Ireland. Some other Dublin fella went over with him at the same time. I read his autobiograhpy. Bit of a twat.

Didnt he get the oppurtunity because Niall Quinn chose Arsenal instead of the Aussie Rules.

Urban Legend Nr 2365 - Quinn played in the Minor AI Hurling Final in '83, 3 years after Stynes was recruited.

i agree- he is a twat

His number plate on his car is Eire32

Say it aint so…

In Quins autobiography, he talks about choosing Arsenal over the Aussie Rules after being recruited. He said another player went instead of him, I presumed it was Stynes.

That’s bad news for big Jim indeed. All the best to him - haven’t read his book so didn’t know that he seemed to be a bit of a mong but he seemed like an alright sort to me.

Never liked Jim for the sole reason that he wore the Aussie jumper against his own. For that I could never forgive him.

He’s a mong. He cost Melbourne the Grand Final one time.

There was another Irish player out there around that time, Wright was his name I think?

McGeady1916?

Stynes went out to Oz at the end of '84 not '80. Thought he was a bit of a twat during some of the Rules series to be honest - came across as wanting to be more Australian than the Australians themselves and I don’t know how he could play against his own country. Still have to have a lot of admiration for what he achieved. He played for Ireland in 1990 series actually.

Sean Wight was the other lad who played for Melbourne and also played in the Intenational Rules in 1987, played in the '82 minor final for Kerry.

[quote=“sid waddell”]Stynes went out to Oz at the end of '84 not '80. Thought he was a bit of a twat during some of the Rules series to be honest - came across as wanting to be more Australian than the Australians themselves and I don’t know how he could play against his own country. Still have to have a lot of admiration for what he achieved. He played for Ireland in 1990 series actually.

Sean Wight was the other lad who played for Melbourne and also played in the Intenational Rules in 1987, played in the '82 minor final for Kerry.[/QUOTE]

My humblest apologies to HB. Although Wright seem to have been recruited before Stynes.

Didn’t see this thread obviously MBB, thanks for pointing it out (my time on TFK has been severely restricted by people wanting me to do stuff at work). I’ve seen an EIRE32 car rego in Sydney, so my dream of havinf it fvor my own best is gone.

Anyhoo - pic of his missus

best of luck to big Jim…from the Roy keane mould of animal…not the most friendly but you’d have to respect the man for what he achieved and is one serious hard bastard like all the Stynes…remember hearing stories of when he was young how if he played bad his da would throw him in the boot of the car or make him walk home no matter where in Dublin the match was on…he reckons that type of treatment helped him make it in Oz when he went over as teenager…