Jim Stynes’ family has accepted the offer of a state funeral for the AFL legend, who has died of cancer aged 45.
Stynes’ remarkable life ended at 8.20am (AEDT) on Tuesday at home after a two-and-a-half year battle with the disease.
Wife Sam and children Matisse and Tiernan were by his side.
The AFL Brownlow medallist’s passing prompted widespread tributes, with the Prime Minister speaking about him in Parliament, while players from his beloved Melbourne football club were in shock at the news.
Apart from one of the most extraordinary stories in Australian sporting history, Stynes was heavily involved in helping troubled youths through the Reach Foundation, which he helped establish.
Demons co-captain Jack Grimes said Stynes had fought his illness so hard, it came as a massive shock when chief executive Cameron Schwab broke the news to the team.
“The whole group and the whole room was silent, it was just shock … with Jimmy, you never thought this day would come,” Grimes said.
“He’s such a fighter and his battle has been going for so long, you just assumed he was going to pull through.”
Fellow captain Jack Trengove said there were plans for the club to honour Stynes in the round-four match against the Western Bulldogs.
“They decided that they really didn’t want to make it round one … because people will still be mourning the loss and it’s pretty soon, it’s only a week and a half away,” Trengove said.
He added the whole fourth round might be dedicated to Stynes.
But Trengove and Grimes said it was critical that the club not try to honour Stynes with just one game, but with ongoing improvement on the field.
Born in Dublin, Stynes was a talented Gaelic footballer who had barely heard of Australian Rules when Melbourne recruited him as part of their “Irish Experiment”.
Stynes was by far the most famous graduate of that program, becoming the first international player to win the Brownlow Medal in 1991.
He became the game’s iron man and holds the AFL consecutive games record with 244.
The ruckman defied medical advice and stunned his team-mates at times during that streak by playing through injury.
Stynes played a total of 264 for the Demons after making his senior debut in 1987.
He also won a club-equalling four best and fairest awards.
After his playing career ended, Stynes concentrated on his charity work and had a major impact.
He was awarded an Order of Australia in 2007 and was Victorian of the Year in 2003.
In 2008, Stynes took over as president at Melbourne when the club was at its lowest ebb and helped rescue their finances.
Speaking on Tuesday, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou remembered how he told Stynes at the time that he was “crazy” if he took on the presidency.
“I can remember the meeting when Jim came to my office and he was contemplating taking on the presidency because he was almost despairing of what was going on,” Demetriou said.
“I told him he was crazy – but I sought of knew then that that was exactly the challenge that he wanted.
“And he formed an excellent board and restructured and rebuilt the club and retired their debt.”
A year after he took on the presidency, Stynes and Sam fronted the media to reveal his cancer diagnosis.
Stynes fought the disease the same way he played, instinctively refusing to be bowed.
Several times, he defied doctor’s orders and left hospital to attend Melbourne games.
Every few months, there were rumours that Stynes might not pull through – but every time he make another public appearance and assure the public that he would never give up.
Right to the end, Stynes was busy and attended a club function last week.
Sam thanked Stynes’ carers on Facebook and added that he was “pain-free, dignified and peaceful” when he died.