MELBOURNE president Jim Stynes says a recent gathering of some of its past presidents for a photo opportunity was another key step to rebuilding the club.

MELBOURNE president Jim Stynes yesterday condemned the attack on Nathan Jones' father Brad after Saturday's MCG clash against Collingwood, but said the game was safer than other codes.

WINNING what the club knows will be a rare victory this year, Melbourne president Jim Stynes encouraged his club to enjoy its moment over a hapless Richmond — a win soured only by the disappointing loss of Brad Green with a broken jaw.

MELBOURNE president Jim Stynes has challenged Hawks counterpart Jeff Kennett and Sam Newman to get hands-on umpiring experience.

Jim Stynes OAM (born 23 April 1966) is a well known Irish Australian who came to fame as a gaelic footballer who converted to Australian rules football (with no prior knowledge of the game) at the age of eighteen. He went on to become one of Australian rules football's most celebrated players, with a 12-year career from 1987 to 1998 in the Australian Football League which was played entirely with the Melbourne Football Club and almost entirely as a ruckman.

Brownlow Medal winner Jim Stynes is expected to stand down as president of the Melbourne Football Club because of illness, Channel Nine has reported.

The Melbourne Football Club today confirms that Jim Stynes is stepping back from his role as President due to illness. While he will remain President, he will lessen his active responsibilities while undergoing treatment, and will be delegating these to other Board members in the interim. Jim will undergo surgery on Friday.

THE Jim Stynes-led buttressing of the Melbourne Football Club will not be slowed by the president's absence for the rest of the season, Stynes' deputy insists.

MELBOURNE captain James McDonald said his team would "take a bit of Jimmy with us" into tomorrow's clash with West Coast.

BEFORE Thursday, when it was announced that Melbourne Football Club president Jim Stynes is battling cancer, I had often thought that Melbourne's two biggest assets were its history and its leader.

MELBOURNE president Jim Stynes has described the first steps in his battle against cancer as "a success" and told friends he expects to leave hospital this week

MELBOURNE players received a boost ahead of Saturday’s clash with Geelong, with ill chairman Jim Stynes making an appearance at training on Friday morning.

JIM Stynes could not attend the launch of Melbourne's 2009 Debt Demolition campaign on Wednesday night, but his advice for stand-in fund-raiser Garry Lyon was unequivocal.

Melbourne AFL great Jim Stynes says he is optimistic about winning a fight against cancer so he can watch the Demons' re-emergence with his children.

MELBOURNE president Jim Stynes says his recuperation in Thailand following cancer surgery has done him the world of good.

FOOTY fans have inundated Twitter with messages of support for Jim Stynes after the Melbourne president revealed a tumour had been discovered on his brain.

JIM Stynes tonight declared he hopes to conquer cancer by the end of next month.

Cancer-stricken Melbourne president Jim Stynes says he draws inspiration from children winning their fight against the disease as he continues his own battle.