Murdoch financed Stynes’ Oz move

A former high-ranking official of the Melbourne Demons club has revealed that the so-called Irish experiment that began with the club recruiting Jim Stynes, Sean Wight and Paul Earley, was financed largely by media mogul, Rupert Murdoch.

Dick Seddon, who was chief executive of the Demons, as well as a founding member of the Victorian Football League commission — the precursor to the AFL — is currently working on a history of the Irish programme, and in particular, the recruitment of Dubliner Stynes.

“It was such a high-risk strategy, I couldn’t justify spending Melbourne funds on it,” said Seddon.

“I reckon I must have made 20 presentations around the city to various groups to try and get some financial support for this Irish project.

“Right at the end, I got on to Rupert. And Rupert said he was quite interested and he’d be prepared to help.”

Murdoch’s Channel 10 television station, then owned by News Ltd, gave four Ford Falcons to the club. The sale of the cars netted approximately $100,000, which went to the Irish programme that turned Stynes into a Melbourne, AFL and Australian hero.

Meanwhile, Martin Clarke will make his first AFL appearance since round 12 in 2009 when heavyweights, Collingwood and Hawthorn clash in front of a predicted 80,000 attendance in Round One of the new campaign at the MCG this morning.

Clarke, who played 46 games for Collingwood before returning to Ireland for two years, has been selected in the key midfield sector.

Tommy Walsh failed to make the Swans match-day squad as they secured the expected demolition of new franchise GWS Giants in the first Sydney derby in AFL history yesterday.

Walsh made a high-profile switch to the Swans from St Kilda after receiving assurances that he would be given the opportunity to play in the league, but the former young footballer of the year will have to wait for his chance.