Jim Stynes - VFL/AFL Career

VFL/AFL Career

In 1987 he played in a night premiership 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 Stynes 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 Melbourne's best player of the match.

Stynes' best year came in 1991, playing a consistent season he became favourite to win the Brownlow Medal and did so with 25 five votes clear of any other player. In doing so he became the first (and so far only) overseas-born player to win the award. Along with the Brownlow he was also awarded the AFL Players Association MVP award and was selected in the All-Australian team and won his first best and fairest at Melbourne. Media commentators noted that Stynes had used his extraordinary endurance to redefine the role of the professional ruckman. While many of his opponents were over 2 metres tall, Stynes played in the style of a tall ruck rover and instead of focusing on hit outs and play in bursts, ran the whole game gaining possession across the whole ground. This was a model of play which many other mid sized ruckmen such as Geelong's John Barnes were able to successfully follow.

An exceptional run of consecutive games which had began in Round 18 of 1987 almost ended with a severe rib injury in 1993 Stynes sustained from a collision with teammate David Neitz in a match against North Melbourne Football Club. He was treated at Epworth Hospital for 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. Stynes finished the season with his consecutive games record unblemished and achieved All-Australian selection for the second time.

In 1994, he suffered a medial ligament tear, but continued to play through it, going on to string together three fine seasons between 1995-1997 in which he won consecutive club champion awards. In round 9 of 1996, Stynes played his 203rd consecutive game, breaking the record held by Jack Titus since 1943.

Stynes broke his hand early in the 1998 season, effectively ending his streak of consecutive games finally at 244. He retired from professional football at the conclusion of the season, having played a total of 264 AFL games all at Melbourne, placing him second on the club's all-time games tally.