Lyon’s tribute to club greats

AS Melbourne great Garry Lyon soaked up the club’s first premiership in 57 years on Saturday night, he could not help but think about two Demons legends who were not there.

“The biggest names in this footy club should be here, leading the charge, in Jimmy Stynes and Robbie Flower,” Lyon said after Melbourne’s 74-point grand final triumph.

“Robbie carried the club on his back through the tough times and Jimmy kept it going. You do think about it before the game.

“And when you’re on the ground, you know they’re watching. It’s bloody great because you know how much it means to them.”

Irish ruckman Stynes, who played 264 matches for the Demons and won the 1991 Brownlow Medal, died from cancer in 2012, aged 45.

Former Melbourne captain and 272-gamer Flower died from a brief, unexpected illness at the age of 59 in 2014.

In the same year the club lost Flower, former Melbourne coach Dean Bailey died from lung cancer, aged 47. Colin Sylvia (car crash in 2018), Troy Broadbridge (tsunami, 2004) and Steven Clark (illness, 2005) are other Demons who have died too young.

Since 2006, Melbourne had also been a battling football team, making the finals just once before this season and collecting two wooden spoons.

“I put it down as heartache and tragedy,” Lyon said.

“It’s heartache from an on-field point of view … and the tragedy comes in life and death – it’s very real.”

But the former Demons skipper, who was a three-time AllAustralian across 226 games, had the chance to present the premiership cup to coach Simon Goodwin and captain Max Gawn on Saturday night, then enjoy the celebrations.

“I’m floating, it’s unbelievable,” Lyon said. “This is what you always imagined it would be.

“If you can’t win one, you just wonder whether you’ll ever get to experience the sensation and this is as close as it gets, so this’ll do me.”