1
It’s
2015 kicks
kicksoff
offononApril
April1111
in Bushy
Park,
Terenure,
when
we come
It’salmost
almosthere!!
here!! Season
Season 2015
in Bushy
Park,
Terenure,
when
we come
up up
against
againstlast
lastyear’s
year’sfinalists,
finalists,Galway
GalwayMagpies.
Magpies.The
TheMagpies
Magpieshave
havebeen
been improving
improving year
year upon
upon year,
year, and
have
number
of good
youngyoung
players
combined
with awith
good
degree
of experience.
It promises
to be
and ahave
a number
of good
players
combined
a good
degree
of experience.
It
a promises
close battle,
I’m
sure that
whatever
all involved
areall
looking
forward
to a kick
after the
to be
a close
battle,
I’m surethe
thatresult,
whatever
the result,
involved
are looking
forward
long
season.
to aoff
kick
after the long off season.
The
Marty and
and Daz
Dazhave
havebeen
beendoing
doingaasuperb
superbjob
jobonon
Thepre-season
pre-seasonso
sofar
farhas
has been
been very
very encouraging.
encouraging. Marty
the
number of
of new
new players,
players, and
and an
thetraining
trainingfront
frontand
andnumbers
numbershave
havebeen
beenhealthy.
healthy. We
We have
have aa good
good number
influx
of younger
guysguys
so far,
all positive
signs
for for
thethe
coming
season.
I would
likelike
toto
welcome
each
an influx
of younger
so far,
all positive
signs
coming
season.
I would
welcome
and
every
one,
we
will
try
to
make
you
feel
as
welcome
as
possible,
and
also
a
big
welcome
back
each and every one, we will try to make you feel as welcome as possible, and also a big welcome to
returning
players. For
fear of
I won’t
names
onewith
exception
– Woodsy,
back to returning
players.
Forleaving
fear ofnames
leavingout,
names
out,name
I won’t
namewith
names
one exception
founder
and founder
life member
of the
Swansofisthe
back,
and given
hisand
history
the Swans,
special
– Woodsy,
and life
member
Swans
is back,
givenwith
his history
withdeserves
the Swans,
mention.
information
aboutinformation
Woodsy and
theWoodsy
other life
and Rhino,
can be
deservesMore
special
mention. More
about
andmembers,
the otherScotty
life members,
Scotty
found
on thecan
clubbewebsite
in the
and Rhino,
found on
the ‘Life
club Members’
website in section.
the ‘Life Members’ section.
Later
game, but
but the
the venue
venue has
hasnot
not yet
LaterininApril,
April,we
weentertain
entertainthe
theLeeside
LeesideLions.
Lions.ItIt isis listed
listed as
as aa home
home game,
been
decided
(It will
Dublin).
This This
is because
ARFLI
are are
running
theirtheir
community
round,
where
yet been
decided
(Itbe
willinbe
in Dublin).
is because
ARFLI
running
community
round,
a where
minimum
of 2 games
be played
a single
Belfast Belfast
will playwill
North
Giants in the
a minimum
of 2will
games
will be at
played
at avenue.
single venue.
playLeinster
North Leinster
2pm
game,
while
will while
play the
Lions
in the
theLions
4pm ingame.
As the
game
is ingame
Dublin,
we are
Giants
in the
2pmwe
game,
we will
play
the 4pm
game.
As the
is inand
Dublin,
designated
all players
areallexpected
to be
at the as
venue
by 1.30pm
toby
help with
and we arehosts,
designated
hosts,
players are
expected
toyet
be unnamed
at the as yet
unnamed
venue
the
set-uptoand
running
of set-up
the first
game.
In return,
game,
the Redbacks
Giants
1.30pm
help
with the
and
running
of the for
firstour
game.
In return,
for ourand
game,
the with help
out
with
ours.
There
will
be
a
big
emphasis
on
the
social
side
of
ARFLI
afterwards
as
Redbacks and Giants with help out with ours. There will be a big emphasis on the socialwell,
side so
of stick
around
for the day,
bring
alongaround
the kids,
both!!),
and we’ll (or
find a
ARFLI afterwards
as well,
so stick
for thethe
day,wife/girlfriend
bring along the(or
kids,
the wife/girlfriend
pub/nightclub
afterwards
to get to know
both ourto
own
and
from otherand
teams.
both!!), and we’ll
find a pub/nightclub
afterwards
get teammates
to know both
ourplayers
own teammates
Rivalries
andRivalries
even encouraged,
but it
must
always
be remembered
that
we are
players are
fromwelcomed,
other teams.
are welcomed,
and
even
encouraged,
but it must
always
be part
ofremembered
a minority sport,
andare
all part
whoof
play
it have asport,
passion
befor
afraid
strike
that we
a minority
andfor
allthe
whogame
play itself,
it havesoa don’t
passion
the to
game
up
a conversation
with anyone
course of the
There’s
no course
such thing
asnight.
fraternising
itself,
so don’t be afraid
to strikeover
up athe
conversation
withnight.
anyone
over the
of the
with
the enemy
this game!
There’s
no suchinthing
as fraternising with the enemy in this game!
AAlot
Paddy for
for getting
gettingthe
thefine
finebook
bookup
upand
andrunning.
running.Even
Even
though
name
lotofofcredit
credithas
has to
to go
go to
to Paddy
though
thethe
name
Penny
PennyPinching
PinchingPaddy
Paddyhas
hasbeen
beenfloating
floatingaround
aroundthe
thedressing
dressingroom
room more
more than
than once,
once, effectively
effectively it’s
it’s a
down
payment
on on
social
events
later
in the
year,
a savings
scheme
if you
will.
Some
cracking
fines so
a down
payment
social
events
later
in the
year,
a savings
scheme
if you
will.
Some
cracking
far,
thesomore
obscure
better
remember
the onethe
ruleone
of rule
the fine
book:
are noare
rules.
fines
far, the
more the
obscure
theand
better
and remember
of the
fine There
book: There
That
is,
unless
Paddy
makes
them
up,
because
he’s
the
money
man.
Money
is
power.
no rules. That is, unless Paddy makes them up, because he’s the money man. Money is power.
Let’s
the club.
club. Only
Only aafew
few weeks
Let’skeep
keepthe
thenumbers
numbersup
upat
attraining,
training,and
and the
the banter
banter going
going throughout
throughout the
inweeks
and it’s
very
enjoyable
so far. The
full The
fixture
for the
will go up
as soon as
in been
and it’s
been
very enjoyable
so far.
full list
fixture
list season
for the season
willshortly,
go up shortly,
itas
is soon
confirmed.
As
always,
keep
an
eye
on
www.southdublinswans.com
and
our
facebook
page
as it is confirmed. As always, keep an eye on www.southdublinswans.com for more (open
toupdates.
all to join) for more updates.
Paul
Paul‘Tall
‘TallPaul’
Paul’OOHalloran
Halloran
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3
The greatest of them all: Jim Stynes. There are other ways of describing it, but none as accurate. Ireland’s greatest ever export
to the game of AFL is, to this day, loved and revered in Melbourne. I have walked into many a pub there and broke the ice with
the very mention of his name. At that time he was alive and battling, which pretty much sums up his career. There is no need to
speak much of his death, it wastes too many column inches when you could instead describe his glorious career. Stynes was a
talented Gaelic footballer, but for that skinny 18 year old to travel to Australia and win a 2-year contract in a game he had never
played before was an incredible achievement. In the modern game, it is unlikely he would be deployed as ruckman given he is a
few centimetres shorter than most in the position, and therein lies an irony for the man who, it is considered, redefined the way
in which the role is played. Whereas most rucks liked to save some gas for the contests, Stynes ran from goalsquare to
goalsquare, displaying incredible stamina. He wasn’t short of speed either. In 1988, Stynes beat Australian athlete Steve
Moneghetti (a future World Championship bronze medallist in the marathon) in a 7.5km race up a Ballarat mountain during
pre-season.
Stynes broke into the Melbourne Demons team in 1987, making his debut against Geelong, but being dropped immediately
after a poor performance. He regained his starting position later in the season however, and played in every game until during
the 1998 season when a broken hand ended his AFL record of 244 consecutive games. Along the way he played through broken
ribs and a medial ligament tear in his knee (Stynes also survived 4 tribunal charges, a rarely mentioned fact), among other
injuries.
Stynes never won a Grand Final with the Demons, but he did play in one alongside Sean Wight as Hawthorn pummelled them by
96 points in 1988. Stynes was awarded Melbourne’s best on ground, but he may have seen it as scant consolation, given that in
1987, he ran across the mark in the dying seconds during the preliminary final with Melbourne leading, gifting Gary Buckenara
of Hawthorn a kick 15m closer to the goal, which he duly kicked after the siren. He was, however, the recipient of the Brownlow
medal in 1991, winning the count by a massive 25 votes (and becoming the first ever overseas Brownlow recipient in the
process). He was also Melbourne’s best and fairest on four occasions, a joint record.
Having played with the Demons his entire career until his retirement after the 1998 season, Stynes remained close to his club
and was ruck coach from 2000-2002, but his most outstanding non playing role was as president of the Dees, a job he took on in
2008. He is credited with keeping the club in existence, as the club were for some time on the brink of financial meltdown.
The recent addition of a statue of Stynes outside the MCG only serves to remind those who never saw him play what a player he
was. His selfless work for both the Dees and his charity, Reach, define what a man he was. It will be a long, long time before Jim
Stynes is a forgotten man. RIP.
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Wed 01 Apr
Training, Terenure RFC 8pm
Wed 08 Apr
Training, Terenure RFC 8pm
Sat 11 Apr
South Dublin Swans v Galway Magpies (Bushy Park, Terenure, 2pm)
Wed 15 Apr
Training, Terenure RFC 8pm
Wed 22 Apr
Training, Terenure RFC 8pm
Sat 25 Apr
South Dublin Swans v Leeside Lions (Venue TBD, 4pm*)
Wed 29 Apr
Training, Terenure RFC 8pm
*All players expected to arrive at the venue by 1.30pm. Update on venue to follow (Venue will be in
Dublin)
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Congratulations to Mick (Starsky, Hips, Teddy, etc etc) and Aileen on the arrival of their baby girl. At
the time of going to print, all three are doing great! I’m sure she’s already learned a pose or two
from her Daddy!
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