Jim Stynes – 23 April 1966 – 20 March 2012
Nigel Dawe
AS the years go by it gets harder to accept that Jim Stynes is gone, doubly so that it has now been 12-years exactly since this shining light, if not absolute shooting star of an individual passed away, decades too soon – we all might add.
Akin to one of my favourite literary heroes, Albert Camus, who like Jim, died in his mid-40s, you have to wonder what wonderful things were still in store, not just for them as individuals, but for all who knew and loved them, albeit directly benefited from what they did so selflessly, and prodigiously.
But there’s the rub, and as the old saying goes, “It’s not the years in your life, it’s the life in your years” and what Jim managed to pack into his allotment of ‘annual grants’, fully amounts to the grand sum of at least 10 people.
As the Algerian-born Camus (who also made a name for himself in a distant land) once said, which could aptly encapsulate Jim’s own approach to life, “Everything which is alive is ours. All we need to do to become conscious of our task is to open our eyes…What we are, what we have to be, are enough to fill our lives and occupy our strength.”
To say that Jim was a hero of mine is an absolute understatement, and as such, it’s an incredible accompaniment, if not ‘feature’ of my own life that his run of consecutive first grade games for Melbourne kicked off when I was in year 5 of primary school in 1987, and came to an end in my fourth year of university, 11 years later. It’s still mind-boggling to think that he was a playing member of the team I barracked for in every match throughout this period, or 244-games to be precise, an AFL record that will surely never be beaten.
From the start of his career, Jim was a favourite of mine (I was also a ruckman for the teams I played in as a junior) his passion, aggression and approach to the game was something that truly inspired me, and when he won his Brownlow Medal in 1991, I didn’t sleep for a whole week afterwards, I was that excited. To think he’d never picked up an AFL ball until he was 18, and then went on to win the game’s highest award 7-years later, isn’t just an improbable case of ‘selling ice to the eskimos’, it’s more a case of creating a 10-metre-high ice sculpture with a pair of tweezers, in the middle of the Sahara Desert!
Not to mention ruckmen of this era were no lightweights, they all looked far more like menacing villains out of a Bond film. That was until Stynes changed ‘the face’ of this role in every sense; the fact he could run all day and not miss a beat, revolutionised not just the possibilities, but the expectation of what ruckmen ’could do’, right up to this very day. To see any of the modern-day ruckmen go about their business and ply their trade, is to see the pure, polished spectre of Stynes in each of their separate moves and manoeuvres.
One of my favourite memories of Jim Stynes (as a player) was ironically the 1988 Grand Final, a game remembered by most of us, for all the wrong reasons (having lost the match by a then record 90-odd points to Hawthorn). But Jim played his heart out that day, he was the clear best player for Melbourne by an Irish country mile; there’s just something about those that never take a backward step or refuse to submit, and it’s something you never quite see in full, until you observe someone still applying this approach, when all hope is lost.
As if I somehow knew from the beginning that Jim would go on to be not just a great of the Melbourne Football Club, but the entire game itself, I kept a folder of newspaper cuttings and magazine articles related to him. A folder I still dip into from time to time, to remind me of how being the best version of your own self requires giving all you have (and then some) to what you do, because as Jim well knew – it is the only way ‘to reach’ the land of your wildest dreams.
Relatedly, Jim’s fellow Dublin-born, Oscar Wilde once said, “The aim of life is self-development. To realise one’s nature perfectly – that is what each of us is here for.” And as if he were following Wilde’s directive to the very letter, Jim Stynes required only 45-years to perfect a nature so impressive and rare, that we may never see the likes of it again.
May you rest in peace Jim Stynes, and thank you for blessing our lives with the gifts you bestowed upon us, you will never be forgotten.
Round 1 – Melbourne V Western Bulldogs
Liam Chambers
Dogs soar early but Dees win the quarter
The Dees/Dogs rivalry has taken on a more profound significance for fans in recent years, following our Grand Final win in 2021. To date, we’ve dominated in the new era and the Demon faithful would no doubt be hopeful for that dominance to continue.
Similar to last week, Melbourne was a goal down early on, after Aaron Naughton kicked a 45m set shot. The Bulldogs took the momentum and ran with it, pressuring the Dees’ defence which culminated in Jamarra Ugle-Hagan taking a flying mark in the pocket, which he duly converted.
It was early days, but Melbourne needed to wrest back some control and stem the blue and white tide. It was stemmed and turned with Big Max winning the hitout and Christian Petracca collecting the loose ball. As he headed goal ward, Tracca hand passed to Jack Viney, who promptly dropped the ball before recovering and launching a kick from 48m, splitting the middle to open his account.
The inspired Demons took on the Dogs with renewed vigour. Bailey Fritsch was short changed when he tackled Jason Johannisen after the Umpire called play on. A potential goal from a position directly in front was denied to the talented forward.
Up the other end, Rory Lobb took a contested mark in the pocket. His 40m set shot took the visitors’ lead to thirteen points.
Melbourne had their chances, including a Jack Billings shot touched on the line but a second goal evaded them.
Then Mr Excitement himself, Kysaiah Pickett kicked his first of the 2024 season via a round the corner kick that curved beautifully through the posts. The lead up was also impressive with Jack Billings knee sliding to mark Clayton Oliver’s kick down the wing. Billings’ perfectly weighted kick was marked by Jacob van Rooyen, who then placed the ball in the perfect position for Pickett to run at and collect.
The Dees were displaying some skilful footy, but the Dogs were still having the best of the play. Fortunately, they were unable to capitalise on their advantage and the margin remained manageable. Unfortunately a mistake in defence allowed first gamer Harvey Gallagher to snap a goal from the pocket. To be fair, it was an impressive debut goal.
A few minutes later, Kade Chandler found himself in the perfect position to collect the ball after it sailed over the heads of the pack in front of goal. A quick turn and tap gave the small forward his first of the afternoon and reduced the gap back to five points. Even better, with forty seconds to go, van Rooyen collected the falling ball before snapping a goal, giving Melbourne the lead for the first time in the match.
Melbourne persist with their winning ways
The Dees continued their good form at the start of the second term after Alex Neal-Bullen marked an Oliver hand pass in the pocket, then casually tapped it along the ground, watching it bounce across the goal line.
It was the ideal start for Melbourne when they won the tussle after the bounce, allowing Kade Chandler to collect the chaos ball inside 50 before snapping it high between the uprights. It was five in a row for the Demons when Christian Petracca smothered the ball mid ground. His kick to inside 50 was gathered by Ben Brown who ran around his opponent before drilling the ball into the back of the net.
The Bulldogs finally stemmed the bleeding when their captain, Marcus Bontempelli coolly collected the ground ball and snapped from 35m in front.
Ben Brown returned the margin to nineteen points when he was awarded a sitter directly in front, after being held on the goal line. Both Brown and team mate Tom MacDonald were surprise recalls for the game, but both were repaying the confidence shown to them; with T Mac particularly solid in defence.
Despite being on the back foot for most of the quarter, the Dogs managed to eventually pare back the margin to twelve points, courtesy of Cody Weightman’s 100th goal.
Dees display depth in delivery
Melbourne looked to be running away with the game early in the second term, just as the Bulldogs did in the first. Then by the start of the third, it was still anyone’s game for the taking.
Ninety seconds in though, the Dees regained the upper hand when Alex Neal-Bullen marked in the pocket, then ran on, snapping off the outside of his right boot.
Melbourne was having the best of the football, but the visitors clung on, not allowing the gap to grow too wide; they even succeeded in closing it to eleven points when Ugle-Hagen was awarded a free kick 35m out.
Bailey Fritsch may have been having an off day, but Kade Chandler was having a blinder and his second was clinically accurate.
Melbourne gets some goal kicking practice
The Dogs started determinedly but they couldn’t make the most of their chances.
Christian Petracca has a lot of score involvements, however on the day he save one of the best for himself. His running kick from just inside 50 was perfect. Great lead up too.
Lachlan Bramble kept the Bulldogs hopes alive with his 40m shot, dragging the margin back to seventeen points, but it turned out to be just a blip on the footy radar.
Jacob van Rooyen stretched it back out to twenty three points again when he marked Kysaiah Pickett’s kick to the pocket. His round the corner shot glided through. Pickett’s second was a thing of beauty. His running kick from a difficult angle sailed smoothly into the goal mouth, dropping just behind the line.
Rhylee West pulled one back for the Dogs with an impressive individual effort, displaying splendid jumping skills before snapping from 20m.
With less than four minutes remaining, van Rooyen put the result beyond any doubt with his set from the pocket; Clayton Oliver having unselfishly provided the mark for the young forward. Then it was a case of reward for great effort when Jack Billings slotted his 25m set shot.
Speaking of reward for effort, it was nice to see Christian Salem walk in a goal to ice the cake for Melbourne, with a minute left on the clock.
We travel to Hawthorn for Round 2. The Hawks have proved to be a difficult opponent for the Demons on many occasion, even when they’re otherwise in a slump. We will be treating them with the utmost respect.
Go the Mighty Dees!!!
Round Zero – Sydney V Melbourne
Liam Chambers
Welcome to Ground Zero
It’s the 2024 season and Round zero has been introduced to confuse the fans. We still play twenty three games, after Gather Round was introduced in 2023, but now there will be eight bye rounds, instead of four. Simples!
Anyway, we were back at the SCG for the opening game of the season; co-incidentally the venue for our closing game last year. That time we showed a clean pair of heels. This time we were facing a side boasting two former Melbourne team mates in the guise of Brody Grundy and James Jordon. Is it just me or do we always struggle when playing erstwhile Demons?
When Max Gawn scores a goal, they are often spectacular. He almost had the opener of the season when his kick form a stoppage soared high and just inside the uprights. Unfortunately it was not to be, as the post got in the way.
Two minutes later, Oliver Florent took the honours with a running kick from 50m.
Alex Neal-Bullen looked to have secured a free kick in front of goal, but the Umpire was otherwise engaged and missed the incident. It didn’t matter though, as Jack Viney kicked the Demons’ first a minute later, after using his body as a battering ram, smashing through the Swans’ defence. Melbourne’s continuing pressure was intense, but they couldn’t make it pay on the score board.
Then it was Sydney’s turning up the heat with they’re repeated incursions inside 50; culminating in Isaac Heeney marking the ball 45m from goal. His kicking was spot on, and the Swans took the lead.
The Dees response was admirable, but they failed to make good use of the space available; allowing Sydney to return towards their own goal end. It may have been a case of first night jitters, but Melbourne was missing shots we would normally have expected to easily put away. The minor scores were racking up, but a second goal was proving elusive.
Up the other end, the goal mouth was much more accommodating. Tom Papley’s running kick from 60m bounced favourably in the right direction before crossing the line.
Dew drops the fluidity of play
There were chances early on in term two for the Dees, but sloppy passing and marking meant they went a-begging. Luckily the Swans were playing in a similar vein, so the sides evened each other out.
As the quarter progressed however, the game began to favour Sydney, with the home side making the most of their opportunities. This was typified by Justin McInerney’s turn and snap from 15m, which flew through the uprights.
Trailing by fifteen points, the Dees started to up the ante by stringing together some flowing runs of play.
Sydney was up to the task though, playing creatively in defensive and sneaking past the attacking Demons. Midway through the term, it was evident that the Swans were generating the better chances inside 50. Melbourne seemed to be relying too much on the long ball in the hope of taking an advantageous mark close to goal.
The Dees did finally make their mark, but it was an opportunistic round the corner snap form Alex Neal-Bullen. The ball had been tapped down from a stoppage 30m out and the nifty forward immediately pounced to open his ledger for 2024.
But wait, the automatic review cruelly snatched back the goal and instead leaving Neal-Bullen pointless. I’ve watched the reply of the alleged incident several times and can only surmise that the reviewer was wearing a red and white jersey.
The lack of goals continued with Christian Petracca’s effort from the pocket hitting the post, giving Melbourne only its second point of the quarter.
With just over three minutes to go, half time couldn’t come quickly enough for the Dees. The Swans however, were pushing hard to head into the main break with a three goal advantage, but luckily the slippery conditions were hindering their efforts.
Then, right at the end, the tables flipped when Ed Langdon marked the ball with ten seconds left on the clock. Langdon didn’t disappoint and the teams headed down to the rooms with a comfortable seven points separating them.
Thrills, spills and injuries
Melbourne desperately needed a great start to the second half, and they got it when Christian Petracca controlled the incoming ball on the 50m arc. His quick handpass to Bailey Fritsch, gave the high scoring forward the chance to run on, then turn and snap the ball off his left boot. The sherrin sailed high before bending through the uprights. The margin couldn’t have been tighter.
Ten minutes into the half however and the momentum was slowly creeping back the Swans’ way, despite Hayden McLean missing an absolute sitter. A few minutes later, McLean had another chance, courtesy of a very generous 50m penalty (more like 65m in reality). Perhaps the Umpire is a relative of the goal reviewer? Either way, it was another Sydney goal.
Thankfully, Bailey Fritsch kept Melbourne in the game with his second goal of the quarter, after marking a beautifully weighted kick from the up and coming Judd McVee.
It was all Melbourne when Fritsch got his hat trick, after collecting the loose ball 35m out, then turning and snapping to give his club back the lead. The visiting fans joy was short lived, as first Jake Bowey left the field with a suspected shoulder injury, then a mix up in defence, gifted Hayden McLean a second goal; this time from close quarters.
Back in front, the Swans tried to turn it up, but Melbourne was equal to the task. In fact, they were more than equal, as Jack Viney proved by nailing a 50m set shot. The game was all square. Sadly, Will Hayward then returned the margin to seven points with his own 35m set shot.
Petracca pinged it back to one point when he collected the ball on the run, then kept running through inside 50, before launching from 30m.
Swans hammer home their advantage
With a miserly two points separating the sides, the smart money would have been on the team who won eighteen of their fourth quarters in 2023. This is 2024 however so all bets were off.
Sydney spent the first ten minutes corralling the Dees in their defensive 50. The pressure eventually paid off when Chad Warner struck from just outside 50 to increase the Swans’ lead to ten points.
Sydney continue to press home their advantage, giving Demon fans little reprieve as Will Hayward side stepped several Melbourne defenders to snap another. The screws were slowly turning on their opponents. The prospect of a Dees’ win continued to fade as Sam Wicks marked 45m out and converted and extend his sides’ lead to twenty two points.
Melbourne were in a world of pain and there was no relief in sight.
The Swans’ fourth was an exercise in chaos with Robbie Fox and Sam Wicks both scrambling the sherrin across the line. Fox claimed the goal.
After the bounce, the Dees finally made some headway in the right direction, eventually arriving inside 50. Christian Petracca grabbed hold of the loose ball, turned and snapped towards goal where Jacob Van Rooyen attempted to mark in the goal square. His attempt was unsuccessful but as he fell back his leg connected with the ball, sending it over his head and through the uprights. The review ruled that it was a goal, albeit by accident rather than design. A desperately needed reprieve but would it be enough to inspire a comeback?
As the clock ticked down, Sydney appeared steadfast, and they continued to attack and defend with the same determination that they’d displayed all quarter.
It was still a case of don’t die wondering for Melbourne but when Logan McDonald marked the ball 15m in front of goal, there was no coming back for the Demons.
Bailey Fritsch kicked a late goal from a set shot but overall a disappointing start to the season for the Dees.
We face the Bulldogs on St Patrick’s Day so I’m hoping the luck of the Irish is on our side.
Go the Mighty Dees!!!
“If you go down, get straight back up. The only time you stay down is if you’re knocked out or dead…. Defeat acts as a spur to do better.” – Norm Smith
Nigel Dawe
With close to a month to go before our Melbourne Demons (the oldest football team in the country) embark upon their 166th season of competitive endeavour, and the 128th time as an integral member of the current VFL/AFL fixture.
I got reflecting, as I often do at this time of the year, that a mere 1,370 guys have had the honour – in the post 1897 era – of sliding a red and blue guernsey over their head and down across their chest before running out onto the field as a first-grade player of the Melbourne Football Club.
To put the rarity and prestige of this accomplishment into perspective, an almost ballpark amount of people have won a Nobel Prize (in each of the six categories) since its inception in 1901. To date, our team has played 2,512 games in the VFL/AFL competition, winning 1,151 of them, and claiming a draw with our opponents on 22 other occasions.
29,185 times our players have caused goal umpires to give their extended double-armed salute between the sticks; and soothingly enough, the most goals we’ve kicked against any side is exactly 2,554 against Collingwood (which is strangely identical to the amount we’ve put on the board against the Saints).
Contrary to how ‘numerically’ this segment has kicked off, numbers have never really been my thing; rather, tales of ticker and tenacity more stir my loins when it comes to the love and loyalty I have for this club. A love and loyalty that’s been forged, and permanently fixed into the bedrock of my soul through both the pangs of trial and defeat, and the pleasure of triumph and rewarded travail.
One easily missed insight into the year we’re about to have, I think, was the encouraging recent image of our ‘Son of Todd’ – that being Jack Viney, staying out on the training track long after everyone else had called it a day, practicing his craft. If anyone embodies the thunderous (and currently wounded) beating heart of the red and blue, it is this man, and I can’t wait to see what he does with each of the 120-minutes of game time he gets in season 2024.
Another determining subplot to the outcome of our year is the manner in which our record 4-time winner of the club’s best and fairest award – Clayton Oliver, will return to the fray exactly where he left off: as a player that must already be having his dimensions measured for an eventual statue outside the ‘G as a great of the game.
In every pursuit the human being becomes aware of, albeit fascinated by, nothing captivates or binds us more than the redemption tale of a champion, and Clary, mark my words – will be no exception; just watch out for him to win the centenary Brownlow medal of 2024. Or better still, watch out for the first ever tied winners of the award from the same club, thus a Petracca and Oliver double would be beyond sublime.
Relatedly, and I’ve banged this drum before, keep an eye out for the long overdue induction of Garry Lyon into the AFL Hall of Fame. 25-years after his retirement, the greatest player I’ve seen in the 40-years of following this caper (with the possible, and previously stated exception of Robbie Flower) the #3 wearing maestro from Kyabram with the cat-like skills and the killer instincts, is due his gong.
For those that might harp otherwise, take another look at his 10-goal hit-out against the Bulldogs in that Semi Final of 1994, and then explain to me how he’s not already ‘officially’ entrenched as one of the greats of the game.
And finally, on the general topic of predictions and prophecies, I got hold of a long sought after piece of Melbourne memorabilia recently. It was a 1970s mirror that the VFL commissioned for each team that featured an embossed group photo of their first premiership side.
Ours being of course the come-from-the-clouds Fuchsias of 1900; but the reason I mention it, is the actual circular photo reminds me distinctly of a crystal ball, and one fringed with a kind of decorative ornamentation that wouldn’t look out of place above a bar in the old Wild West.
Thus, in that same spirit, may our modern-day gunslingers of Gawn, Viney & Co. enjoy and fearlessly make the most of their turn and season in the sun – wearing the most time-honoured colours of all.
Qualifier – Melbourne V North Melbourne
Liam Chambers
The Dees struggle to make their mark.
After last week’s loss to Brisbane, the Dees needed to get up, dust themselves off and start all over again.
Unfortunately, Melbourne was on the back foot from the first bounce, and it didn’t take long for the Roos to strike. Tahlia Randall had the advantage of finding some space in the ruck after a stoppage in front of goal. Her snap from 15m was high and straight up, but the wind helped carry it across the line.
The Demons fought hard, resisting North’s continuously attacking game. For the second week in a row though, the Dees spent the majority of the first term in their defensive half. Towards the end of the quarter, Melbourne managed to work their way forward but had few opportunities and we were unable to cut through.
North compounds Melbourne’s pain.
The Roos continued their winning ways at the start of the second when Tahlia Randall doubled her goal tally by slotting the 20m set shot after marking the contested ball.
Melbourne was playing hard, creating chances but just not able to break through North’s defence. The Roos were jumping on every possession, cutting the Dees off as they attempted to gain some momentum.
Then, even when Melbourne got into scoring positions, we seemed to relinquish the ball too easily or make incorrect tactical decisions.
It had been a concerning first half for Demon fans, as their team failed to kick a goal and had only one solitary point on the scoreboard.
Dees continue to flounder.
The second half started in the same vein for the Dees, with dropped catches and miskicks, allowing North to take control once again.
The Roos defence was rock solid, repelling any attempts by Melbourne to break through.
Up the other end, North was ahead by twenty two points after Bella Eddey took possession; being the final link in the chain that stretched the length of the ground and culminating in the forward’s chip from the top of the goal square.
The Dees’ task became even more difficult after Tahlia Randall kicked her hat trick from another stoppage in front of goal.
When Bella Eddey launched from 40m to land the ball in the goal square, where it bounced across the line, Melbourne was in all sorts of strife.
All hope abandoned.
The Dees were thirty four points behind and facing an incredibly focused North Melbourne team at the start of the final quarter.
Melbourne desperately needed an early goal to have any chance of victory, but as the minutes ticked away, that ambition looked increasingly forlorn.
When Kate Hore hit the post with her set shot, all hope was seemingly abandoned.
However, a minute later, Alyssa Bannen marked to the left of goal and slotted Melbourne’s first major of the game. The flame momentarily flickered.
It was quickly snuffed out though when Alice O’Loughlin collected the tapped down ball and snapped through the Roos’ sixth.
With a minute to go, Emma King nailed her set shot, completing the Dees’ misery.
Thankfully, we still have another chance in the semifinal against the Cats, but it’s not a great time for a slump. Here’s hoping it’s a very short lived one. We know we can beat anyone. We just have to believe it.
Go the Mighty Dees!!!
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