Who knew that Rupert Murdoch helped bring Jim Stynes Down Under?

The late Jim Stynes received a fitting send off in his adopted Australia earlier this week, but he might never have made the move were it not for some help from a very unlikely source.

These days, Rupert Murdoch is more widely known for his dictatorial like ruling of some of the world’s largest media corporations, but back in the day, he gave a generous donation to the Melbourne Demons which helped fund the club’s so-called ‘Irish Experiment’.

According to a report in this morning’s Irish Examiner, the Demons’ acquisition of Stynes, Sean Wight and Paul Earley was funded by the sale of four Ford Falcons given to the club by the Channel 10 station owned by Murdoch.

The sale of those vehicles earned the club $100,000 AUS, which enabled them to bring the three lads over from Ireland, a recruitment strategy that is common enough now, but was unheard of when Stynes, Wight and Earley made their move in 1984.

Dick Seddon, a former chief executive of the Demons and founding member of the Victorian Football League commission (VFL) – a league which preceded the AFL and is still in existence in Victoria - is currently working on a history of the Irish programme, with particular attention being paid to the recruitment of Stynes, who went on the become an AFL legend.

"It (the ‘Irish Experiment’ was such a high-risk strategy), I couldn’t justify spending Melbourne funds on it," Seddon is quoted as saying in the Irish Examiner.

"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."

He mightn’t be the most popular figure these days, but Irish and Australian people alike should be glad Murdoch did help broker Stynes’ move Down Under such was the legacy the former Dublin minor has left behind.

Stynes received a state funeral in Victoria earlier this week and there were plenty of tears and laughter as friends, family and countless well-wishers paid one final tribute to his memory. For more on that, click here.