Amongst all the words that have been written about Jim 'pioneer' is one that has been used constantly. It's used when describing how Jim paved the way for other Irish players to play AFL.

Unfortunately the true pioneer seems to have been forgotten in the emotion of the past week.

Sean Wight arrived from Ireland at 18 years of age two years before Jim. It was Sean's ability to adapt to our game so successfully that saw the MFC go back to Ireland looking for more prospects and finding Jim.

If it hadn't been for Sean Wight there wouldn't have been Jim Stynes.

Please don't misunderstand me. I don't mean to take anything away from Jim's achievements, both on and off the field. He was a great man who deserved a State funeral today in recognition of everything he'd done.

Sean & Jim should be remembered together often within the MFC. Sean was far more private, but christ he was a great Demon. Fearless.

You're absolutely right about Sean Wight. But it's OK to have more than one 'pioneer'.

How about we commit to bringing out an Irish kid, under the AFL's International Rookie scheme. I mean every year, and make a big deal about it. Call it the Jim Stynes internship or similar. Something we can own in two countries.

Edit: or maybe the Earley Wight Stynes Fellowship

Edited March 27, 201213 yr by Allus Monk

Does anyone know what sort of cancer got Sean Wight ?

I'm wondering if they both got Melanoma?

The Irish experiment was so bloody awful for their families if that was the case .

^{Does anyone know what sort of cancer got Sean Wight ?}

^{I'm wondering if they both got Melanoma?}

^{The Irish experiment was so bloody awful for their families if that was the case .}

^{Can't be certain but from memory it was throat Cancer, which in itself was ironic as Sean was a clean living tetotaller himself Both will be greatly missed but we still have memories}

Sean Wight died of lung cancer. As far as I am aware he did not smoke. Terrible outcome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Wight

Sean was diagnosed with lung cancer in February 2011. He died in June. He had never smoked and he was not a drinker. It's ironic to me that because of the time Sean and I spent together driving in rallies I gave up smoking.

Think I'll keep smoking and drinking then .

"The luck of the Irish" wasn't with these legends .

I've thought about Sean a lot since he passed and have thought of him often since we lost Jim.

Aside from two exceptionally fine individuals we were blessed that played for us the Irish experiment is more or less a dud. Been a few others since of average value that played for other clubs but do they now play Aussie Rules in Ireland? We only have that silly hybrid game that reinforces myopic parochlalism for each others preferred brand of football and scorn for the other. Gaelic Footy and Aussie Rules are still stuck firmly in eternal limbo IMO. Whether Jim's passing has yet another extraordinary chapter to tell, who knows?

Edited March 27, 201213 yr by Jackie