Kicking with the wind: Farewell, Jim
Vale Jim Stynes
Unless you’ve been hidden under a rock or are a true football heathen, you’ve heard that former Melbourne ruckman Jim Stynes died early this week.
Stynes’ story is a fabled one. From Eire to the top of the Australian game. He leaves a loving family and an indelible mark on the Melbourne Football Club and his adopted code.
Big Jim will be farewelled with a State funeral on Tuesday and the tributes will continue to flow throughout 2012 and beyond.
The forgotten Irishman
But Stynes isn’t the only ex-Demon to lose a cancer battle in the past year.
His former team-mate and countryman Sean Wight died in June 2011, cut down by lung cancer.
Never as famed as Stynes, Wight characterised the ‘unfashionable defender’ tag, largely due to the stonking ‘tash he sported during his playing days.
You may not have heard of Wight’s passing, but that probably had nothing to do with being under a rock – or being a heathen.
Wight’s death just wasn’t as public as Stynes’.
Now, though, on the eve of another ‘expansion season’ it seems like a good time to reflect on the impact of both men and their leading hand in the Irish Experiment.
Farewell, lads.
Nil nisi bonum
Bleach-haired bonehead Jason Akermanis clearly didn’t take Latin at school. If he did, he’d know of the phrase above which loosely translates as “Speak no ill of the dead”.
I can understand why Akermanis might disagree with the principle – there are plenty of dead guys that deserve piles of post-mortem slander – but in trying to secure his share of a fading spotlight by potting the recently departed champion in a cheap interview on a cheap radio station, the former Brownlow Medallist has only garnered scorn from all corners.
It must have been a bitter pill for Akermanis to swallow when he found out Stynes would be farewelled with full honours, knowing he’s highly unlikely to receive the same privilege.
Ego drove him to three premierships and has made him a colourful media identity since his acrimonious split with the Bulldogs.
But he needs to stop being a stroppy fuckwit and grow up soon, for pity’s sake.
No means no
I remain unconvinced a Tasmanian AFL team would be a goer. Call me cynical, but the loss of the Hobart Devils from the NBL all those years ago still rankles and I fear the same fate for any team from the island state that may one day be granted an AFL license.
Interesting that on the eve of the GWS Giants’ AFL bow, Andrew Demetriou is being vilified by former Tasmanian parliamentarians for his ‘closed door’ attitude to their bid for the league’s 18th berth.
Really, though, this is an old story with dodgier legs than Andre Pistorious.
It’s clear that Demetriou wanted to strike a blow to the beefy heart of rugby league and plumped for Western Sydney (and the Gold Coast) over little ol’ Tassie.
Strategically, it’s a flawless play. Sentimentally, Hobart would have been a winner.
But sentiment counts for squat and Mr D knows it.
The next Dustin
Bombers coach James Hird knows a thing or two about the Essendon Football Club, right down to the furniture he wants around him as he tries to re-develop the underperforming Dons.
He and the powers that be at Bomberland have tied promising young forward Michael Hurley to a five-year deal.
Show of faith in an outstanding (but injury-prone youngster) or knee jerk reaction ahead of free agency? Who knows?
Odd, though, that Hird has reportedly labelled Hurley the next Dustin Fletcher.
If he’s referring to the longevity of Fletcher’s stay at Essendon, Hurley will need another couple of five-year deals to come close. Hopefully he’s not saying he’ll turn the 21-year-old into a dour backman.
But my inner-cynic can’t help but pick up on the element of this story that seems to indicate that Fletcher is closer than ever to winding up his fabled playing career.
The Bombers relied heavily on the veteran in 2011 and need to fix that situation stat ‘cos odds are that by season’s end, the lanky ginger will be assistant coach and former player rather than player/assistant coach as it stands right now.
Video umpire, please
Who are the cheer squads going to lambast next time a goal umpire fluffs a decision?
In truth it will probably still be the blokes on the field – and they may well deserve it – but confusion will surely reign when the new review system is called into action.
Broadcast vision will be used to assist with suspect goal-line decisions, but players aren’t allowed to challenge on-field rulings. Yeah, right.
My money’s on Ray Chamberlain to first call for the technology – that’s a solid two minutes of face time for the poisonous little pipsqueak right there!
Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac
