Ireland's most successful Aussie Rules export Jim Stynes has confirmed that he is battling cancer. The former Dublin All-Ireland minor winner, who is just 43, announced the news at a press conference earlier today. The 43-year-old found a lump in his back three weeks ago which has spread, and has been forced to temporarily step down as Melbourne Demons president. "I thought it might just be located in that one area but it's not. And it's spread quite a bit and I have a journey to go on, let's say," an emotional Stynes said. "I'm not walking away but I will be taking a break and I'll need to take the rest of the season off." Stynes told reporters that he was feeling well, despite being diagnosed with the illness. "I'll be going into hospital very soon to begin my therapy but I'll be back out and in a couple of weeks I'll be back doing normal things. You won't even know there was anything wrong. I'll be around the club." Melbourne's vice-president Don McLardy, who will lead the club in Stynes' absence, insisted that the former great would not be out of action for too long. "He's been there when we needed him, 250-odd games he was there, he was there 12 months ago when the club was in diabolical trouble and I have no doubt, his mental toughness is legendary, and I have no doubt he will be back," he said. Stynes played 264 games for Melbourne and was awarded the AFL's highest honour when he received the Brownlow medal in 1991 after moving to Australia in the mid-1980s. Tweet

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