Jim Stynes Community Award to be expanded into AFLW

Jim Stynes’ legacy will be felt by AFLW players after the expansion of the community award named in honour of the VFL/AFL and Melbourne great.

Ed Bourke

@edbourke6

less than 2 min read

July 26, 2024 - 4:20PM

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Jim Stynes didn’t get to see the rise of AFLW, but his enormous legacy will now be carried by women’s players after the expansion of one of the game’s most important honours.

While four men’s and women’s players were named finalists for last year’s award presented on Brownlow Medal night, a separate accolade will now be presented at the AFLW best and fairest.

It means the causes of four AFL and four AFLW players can be thrust into the spotlight on their respective nights, after the Jim Stynes Foundation and Telstra committed another $40,000 to be donated to the new award winner’s charity.

AFL stars Sam Docherty (2023) and Joel Selwood (2022) were the most recent winners of the award, after a voting panel judged them the best exponents of the values of the late Melbourne champion.

The Jim Stynes Community Award will be expanded with a specific AFLW honour. Picture: David Crosling

Hawthorn’s Sophie Locke said the growth of the award would be an “invaluable” opportunity for AFLW players’ charitable causes to be recognised.

Locke, 23, has worked tirelessly for Breast Cancer Network Australia alongside her football, after her mother, Sarah, lost her battle with the disease two weeks before her AFLW debut.

“I love watching the work that the AFL men’s players do with their platforms, and even the guys who don’t win the award get that valuable opportunity for their charities to be recognised for their work,” Locke said.

“Having an opportunity for us to get a similar platform as well — this is an amazing opportunity for any charity to receive, and it’s really close to our hearts.”

Jim Stynes Foundation chair Russel Howcroft said: “In his life, Jim was a proud advocate for inclusion for all, and I’m sure that he would have been very pleased to see the award grow to recognise both AFL and AFLW players in their own categories.”