Hello
I just wanted to thank your country for giving us one of our greatest assets James ‘Jim’ Stynes. I gave up following AFL football because of the off field behaviour of our footballers drinking and thuggery. Jim Stynes was a gentleman.
But I did follow football during Jim’s career and was most impressed with his journey from Ireland to Australia.
Brownlow Medallist and a record 244 consecutive games – he even played with compound rib fractures.
Jim Stynes behaved as all men should behave, most men could not stand in his shadow .
Jim Stynes was more than a football player he was a great human being, he did not judge people by their class or colour, he embraced them all.
He even co-founded a charity The Reach Foundation for young people and for this his legend will live on long after those of us who knew of him only as a footballer have gone.
I myself have suffered a life threatening Illness for the past ten years and since Jim passed I am not ashamed to say this I have cried everyday since his passing. I did not know Jim personally and never met him but I wished I did.
Jim will be given a state funeral this week usually reserved for politicians and other dignitaries.
But to me he stands above them all.
Bless you all In Ireland.
God Bless Jimmy Stynes (A TRUE WARRIOR )
Brett