Jim Stynes
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Stynes OAM
(born 23 April 1966) is an Irish
former professional Australian rules football
er who is currently a businessman, philanthropist
, writer
, youth worker
, qualified teacher
and chairman of Melbourne Football Club
since 2008.
Stynes came to fame through the Irish Experiment
– as both a pioneer and its most successful product. With no prior knowledge of the game, at the age of eighteen the gaelic football
er moved to Australia to play Australian rules football
. Stynes went on to become one of Australian rules football's most celebrated players and a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame
. During his 12-year Australian Football League
career from 1987 to 1998 he became the first (and to date only) player recruited from outside Australia to win the prestigious Brownlow Medal
. He is also holder of the record for the most consecutive VFL/AFL games (244) and was well known during his playing days as highly courageous, continuing to play despite injury. His representative honours include Victorian and All-Australian selection as well as playing for Australia against Ireland in International Rules.
Stynes entire AFL career was played with the Melbourne Football Club as a ruckman
. He is an official legend of the club, being a member of its Team of the Century. He holds a number of club records including the record for the most successive best and fairest awards (three) and is equal holder of the record (with Allan La Fontaine
) for the most best and fairest awards (four) in the club's history.
The Jim Stynes legacy had continued well beyond his much celebrated football career. Stynes maintained a high media profile through his work with youth and charity
work. He was twice named Victorian of the Year
(2001 and 2003) and has been honoured by the Queen with the Medal of the Order of Australia
in (2007) and Melburnian of the Year (2010), continuing his work despite being diagnosed with cancer
.
As a child Stynes first played Gaelic football with his local club, Ballyboden St Endas. He later played the sport of rugby union
in De la Salle College, Churchtown. He was only really interested in playing gaelic football
, with Dublin's Ballyboden
club as a boy along with his brother and former captain of Dublin senior football team
, Brian Stynes
where they were both considered to be among the club's best.
In 1984, Stynes was on Dublin
's winning side in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
.
seeking talented Gaelic footballers as possible recruits as part of what was later described as "The Irish experiment
".
Stynes suitably impressed Melbourne officials and he was brought to Australia to undergo a crash course in Australian rules. He arrived in Australia on 7 November 1984, before making his debut for the Melbourne under 19s team in 1985. Ray Jordon
, a coach who was experienced with talented juniors, worked intensively with him. He was sent to Victorian Football Association's Prahran Football Club
to compete at senior level. Stynes was a slow developer at first. His skills were raw, particularly his kicking of the oval ball, but he showed outstanding endurance and the height and leap of a potential ruckman.
side. The Melbourne coaching panel's perseverance with him paid off when Stynes made his senior debut for Melbourne in 1987 at Waverley Park
against the Geelong Football Club
. He was dropped after a poor performance, however he returned to the senior side later in the season against the Brisbane Bears
.
In the 1987 preliminary Final Melbourne
were leading Hawthorn
with a minute to go when the Dubliner made the mistake of running across a mark, which resulted in 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.
The next year, Melbourne made the grand final
. Despite being beaten by 96 points, Stynes was voted best on ground for the Demons.
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 had a record breaking run of consecutive games, however it almost ended with a severe rib injury in 1993 resulting from a collision with teammate David Neitz
in a match against North Melbourne Football Club
. He was rushed to Epworth Hospital
with a compound rib fracture. Despite being ruled out by medical officers for six weeks, he convinced his coach Neil Balme
to pass him in the club fitness test and wore a chest guard in order to play the following Friday night. In 1994, he suffered a medial ligament tear, but continued to play through it. His streak of consecutive games finally ended at 244 (an Australian Football League
record) when he broke his hand early in the 1998 season.
Stynes eventually played 264 games with Melbourne before his retirement in 1998, placing him second on Melbourne's all-time games tally.
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.
In June 2008, Melbourne Chairman Paul Gardner
stepped down as Melbourne President to make way for Stynes.
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 12 June 2008.
Shortly following his election he declared his staunch stance against any proposed relocation of the club to the Gold Coast
or elsewhere.
In 2003, Stynes was named Victorian of the Year
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.
As part of his work with Reach Youth he also co-wrote children's self-help books with Dr Jon Carnegie including "Heroes" (2003) and "Finding Heroes" (2006).
Stynes was also named Melburnian of the Year for 2010 for his Reach Foundation work.
was a Gaelic Footballer who played for the Dublin GAA
team and won an All-Ireland football championship medal in 1995. He played against Jim in the International Rules Series
against Ireland
many times. Brian also played 2 senior AFL games with the Melbourne Football Club in 1992.
Another younger brother David Stynes
played for Ireland's winning team in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup
, in Melbourne. and returned with the team that reached the semi finals of the 2005 cup. He also represented Dublin at minor level and won a Leinster Minor Football Championship
medal in 1994 before losing to Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final. He also represented Dublin at under-21 level.
Jim Stynes is married to wife Samantha and he has a daughter Matisse and son Tiernan. Samantha was outspoken against Sam Newman
in June 2009 for his sexism on the AFL Footy Show.
.
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
.
A corporate function room at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
bears his name.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 23 April 1966) is an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
former professional Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who is currently a businessman, philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, youth worker
Youth Worker
A Youth worker is a person that works with young people to engage them in informal education. Youth workers can work in many contexts. In the UK and elsewhere, the main distinction is usually made between statutory, those who work as part of a government run initiative, and non-statutory, those...
, qualified teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and chairman of Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
since 2008.
Stynes came to fame through the Irish Experiment
Irish experiment
The Irish Experiment is the popular name for the interest, primarily from VFL/AFL clubs, in bringing Irish sportspeople to Australia to play Australian Rules Football professionally ....
– as both a pioneer and its most successful product. With no prior knowledge of the game, at the age of eighteen the gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er moved to Australia to play Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
. Stynes went on to become one of Australian rules football's most celebrated players and a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame
Australian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
. During his 12-year Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
career from 1987 to 1998 he became the first (and to date only) player recruited from outside Australia to win the prestigious Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
. He is also holder of the record for the most consecutive VFL/AFL games (244) and was well known during his playing days as highly courageous, continuing to play despite injury. His representative honours include Victorian and All-Australian selection as well as playing for Australia against Ireland in International Rules.
Stynes entire AFL career was played with the Melbourne Football Club as a ruckman
Ruckman (Australian rules football position)
In Australian rules football, a ruckman is typically a tall and athletic player who contests at centre bounces and stoppages . The ruckman is one of the most important players on the field...
. He is an official legend of the club, being a member of its Team of the Century. He holds a number of club records including the record for the most successive best and fairest awards (three) and is equal holder of the record (with Allan La Fontaine
Allan La Fontaine
Allan La Fontaine was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Born in Victoria, La Fontaine attended St Kevin's College, Melbourne. He was recruited from University Blacks as a brilliant full-forward, and was to earn his fame playing with the Melbourne Football Club as a...
) for the most best and fairest awards (four) in the club's history.
The Jim Stynes legacy had continued well beyond his much celebrated football career. Stynes maintained a high media profile through his work with youth and charity
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
work. He was twice named Victorian of the Year
Victorian of the Year
The Victorian of the Year is an award given to the most outstanding Victorian in any given year.This is not to be confused with the Victorian winner of the Australian of the Year awarded in Canberra by the Australia Day Council .The Victorian of the year is awarded in Melbourne by the Victoria Day...
(2001 and 2003) and has been honoured by the Queen with the Medal of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
in (2007) and Melburnian of the Year (2010), continuing his work despite being diagnosed with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
Early life
James Stynes was born in Dublin, Ireland.As a child Stynes first played Gaelic football with his local club, Ballyboden St Endas. He later played the sport of rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in De la Salle College, Churchtown. He was only really interested in playing gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
, with Dublin's Ballyboden
Ballyboden St. Enda's
Ballyboden St. Enda's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Knocklyon, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It is named after Saint Enda of Aran. The Club serves the Knocklyon, Ballycullen, Rathfarnham, Ballyboden, Ballyroan, Firhouse areas.Their homeground is Pairc Uí Mhurchú, located on the Firhouse...
club as a boy along with his brother and former captain of Dublin senior football team
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
, Brian Stynes
Brian Stynes
Brian Stynes is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Dublin and now resides in Australia. He Attended De La Salle College, Churchtown,Dublin-Australian rules football career:...
where they were both considered to be among the club's best.
In 1984, Stynes was on Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
's winning side in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
.
Move to Australia
Stynes' first contact with Australian rules came in 1984 when he answered an ad in a local paper from the Melbourne Football ClubMelbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
seeking talented Gaelic footballers as possible recruits as part of what was later described as "The Irish experiment
Irish experiment
The Irish Experiment is the popular name for the interest, primarily from VFL/AFL clubs, in bringing Irish sportspeople to Australia to play Australian Rules Football professionally ....
".
Stynes suitably impressed Melbourne officials and he was brought to Australia to undergo a crash course in Australian rules. He arrived in Australia on 7 November 1984, before making his debut for the Melbourne under 19s team in 1985. Ray Jordon
Ray Jordon
Raymond Clarence Jordon is a former Australian first-class cricketer who represented Victoria in the Sheffield Shield and toured with the Australian national cricket team...
, a coach who was experienced with talented juniors, worked intensively with him. He was sent to Victorian Football Association's Prahran Football Club
Prahran Football Club
Prahran Football Club, nicknamed The Two Blues, is an Australian rules football club based at Toorak Park in Orrong Road between High Street and Malvern Road, Armadale, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Since 2007, the club has competed in D1 Section of the Victorian Amateur Football Association...
to compete at senior level. Stynes was a slow developer at first. His skills were raw, particularly his kicking of the oval ball, but he showed outstanding endurance and the height and leap of a potential ruckman.
VFL/AFL career
In 1987 he played in a night premiershipAustralian Football League pre-season competition
The Australian Football League pre-season competition, which is known at present as the NAB Cup, is a competition held before the beginning of the Australian Football League premiership season...
side. The Melbourne coaching panel's perseverance with him paid off when Stynes made his senior debut for Melbourne in 1987 at Waverley Park
Waverley Park
Waverley Park was an Australian rules football stadium in Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia. For most of its history, its purpose was as a neutral venue and used by all Victorian based Victorian Football League/Australian Football League clubs. However, during the 1990s it became the home ground of...
against the Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
. He was dropped after a poor performance, however he returned to the senior side later in the season against the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
.
In the 1987 preliminary Final Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
were leading Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
with a minute to go when the Dubliner made the mistake of running across a mark, which resulted in a free for the opposition. His error resulted in a 15 metre penalty which Gary Buckenara
Gary Buckenara
Gary Buckenara played Australian rules football for the Hawthorn Football Club in the VFL during the 1980s.Buckenara first played senior football for Subiaco in the WAFL from 1979 to 1981. Subiaco agreed to lease him for three years for $210,000 and after a court case began his career at Hawthorn...
goaled after the final siren for a two point win.
The next year, Melbourne made the grand final
1988 VFL Grand Final
The 1988 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Hawthorn Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1988. It was the 92nd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
. Despite being beaten by 96 points, Stynes was voted best on ground for the Demons.
Styne's best year came in 1991 where he won the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
. 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 had a record breaking run of consecutive games, however it almost ended with a severe rib injury in 1993 resulting from a collision with teammate David Neitz
David Neitz
David Neitz , nicknamed Neita, is a retired Australian rules footballer. The strongly built centre half back who became a full forward was the longest-serving captain in the history of the Melbourne Football Club and the first Melbourne player to achieve the 300-game milestone.Neitz was born in...
in a match against North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
. He was rushed to Epworth Hospital
Epworth Hospital
-Epworth HealthCare:Epworth HealthCare is a provider of acute medical, surgical and rehabilitation services in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The group has four divisions: Epworth Richmond, Epworth Eastern, Epworth Cliveden, Epworth Freemasons and Epworth Rehabilitation, with rehabilitation sites...
with a compound rib fracture. Despite being ruled out by medical officers for six weeks, he convinced his coach Neil Balme
Neil Balme
Neil Allen Balme is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1969 and 1979 for the Richmond Football Club.-Playing career:...
to pass him in the club fitness test and wore a chest guard in order to play the following Friday night. In 1994, he suffered a medial ligament tear, but continued to play through it. His streak of consecutive games finally ended at 244 (an Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
record) when he broke his hand early in the 1998 season.
Stynes eventually played 264 games with Melbourne before his retirement in 1998, placing him second on Melbourne's all-time games tally.
The honours he achieved during his career included both main AFL "best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
" awards, the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
and AFL Players Association
AFL Players Association
The AFL Players Association, or AFLPA, is the representative body for all current and past professional Australian Football League players....
MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
award (now known as the Leigh Matthews Trophy
Leigh Matthews Trophy
The Leigh Matthews Trophy is an annual award given by the AFL Players Association to the Most Valuable Player in the Australian Football League. It is named in honour of Leigh Matthews, who won the first MVP award in 1982, when the league was still known as the Victorian Football League...
) 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.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.In June 2008, Melbourne Chairman Paul Gardner
Paul Gardner
Paul Gardner may refer to:*Paul Gardner , Soccer Writer*Paul Gardner , Canadian ice hockey player*Paul Gardner , Melbourne Football Club president...
stepped down as Melbourne President to make way for Stynes.
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
The AFL Footy Show
The Footy Show is a Logie Award winning Australian sports television program, shown on the Nine Network and its affiliates.This show, which is dedicated to the AFL and Australian rules football, made its debut on 24 March 1994 at the same time as the other version which relates to the NRL and rugby...
on Thursday 12 June 2008.
Shortly following his election he declared his staunch stance against any proposed relocation of the club to the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
or elsewhere.
Charity work
After finishing his AFL career, Stynes began to concentrate primarily on his youth charity, the Reach Foundation. He has become a prominent youth worker in Victoria. 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
Victorian of the Year
The Victorian of the Year is an award given to the most outstanding Victorian in any given year.This is not to be confused with the Victorian winner of the Australian of the Year awarded in Canberra by the Australia Day Council .The Victorian of the year is awarded in Melbourne by the Victoria Day...
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.
Writer
Jim Stynes is the author of several books. His written works include an autobiography "Whatever It Takes" (1996).As part of his work with Reach Youth he also co-wrote children's self-help books with Dr Jon Carnegie including "Heroes" (2003) and "Finding Heroes" (2006).
Honours
In 2007, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia by the Queen for his work with youth and contribution to Australian rules football in 2007.Stynes was also named Melburnian of the Year for 2010 for his Reach Foundation work.
Cancer
On 2 July 2009, Jim Stynes held a media conference to inform the public that he had developed cancer. A lump in his back was shown to be cancerous and tests revealed that it had spread to other parts of his body, including his brain. Stynes intended to make clear that he is not stepping down from his role as President of the Melbourne Football Club but instead just taking a break to seek treatment. On 4 April 2010 it was revealed that his condition had worsened and three days later he had surgery to remove tumours from his brain.Family
Stynes' brother BrianBrian Stynes
Brian Stynes is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Dublin and now resides in Australia. He Attended De La Salle College, Churchtown,Dublin-Australian rules football career:...
was a Gaelic Footballer who played for the Dublin GAA
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
team and won an All-Ireland football championship medal in 1995. He played against Jim in the International Rules Series
International Rules Series
The International Rules Series is a senior men's International rules football competition between the Australia international rules football team and the Ireland international rules football team...
against Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
many times. Brian also played 2 senior AFL games with the Melbourne Football Club in 1992.
Another younger brother David Stynes
David Stynes
David Stynes is a former Gaelic footballer and Australian rules footballer.-Playing career:Stynes played for Ireland's winning team in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup in Melbourne. He was also selected for the All-Star Team, and returned with the team that reached the semi finals of...
played for Ireland's winning team in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup
2002 Australian Football International Cup
The 2002 Australian Football International Cup was the inaugural international Australian rules football tournament held in Melbourne, Australia in 2002....
, in Melbourne. and returned with the team that reached the semi finals of the 2005 cup. He also represented Dublin at minor level and won a Leinster Minor Football Championship
Leinster Minor Football Championship
The Leinster Minor Football Championship is a Gaelic football "knockout" competition played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council. Each county in the province fields a team in the competition. The term "minor" is given to players who are...
medal in 1994 before losing to Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final. He also represented Dublin at under-21 level.
Jim Stynes is married to wife Samantha and he has a daughter Matisse and son Tiernan. Samantha was outspoken against Sam Newman
Sam Newman
John Noel William "Sam" Newman is a retired Australian rules football player and current television personality. He is a featured presenter on the AFL version of The Footy Show.-VFL career:...
in June 2009 for his sexism on the AFL Footy Show.
Legacy
In 2003 Stynes was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of FameAustralian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
.
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
Barassi International Australian Football Youth Tournament
The Barassi Youth Tournament is an international Australian rules football tournament for junior players who are no older than 16 years of age. In conjunction with the Australian Football International Cup senior competition, the youth cup is an important event for the development of Aussie Rules...
.
A corporate function room at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
bears his name.