FORMER Melbourne defender Sean Wight has died after a five-month battle with lung cancer. He was 47.

Wight - his given names at birth were John Phillip - was born in the Scottish city of Glasgow and later moved to Ireland where he became one of the best Gaelic footballers in the nation.

Recognised as the first player recruited by the Demons as part of their 'Irish experiment', Wight arrived in Australia in 1982 and quickly adapted to the demands of Australian football.

A full-back for much of his career, he made his VFL debut in 1985 and went on to play 150 games - and boot 63 goals - for Melbourne before retiring in 1995.

Wight played in the Demons' 1987 pre-season premiership team and was part of the side that lost to Hawthorn in the 1988 Grand Final.

He also represented Victoria in a number of State of Origin matches.

Despite being a non-smoker and non-drinker, Wight was diagnosed with lung cancer in February.

"I remember thinking 'Wow, here I am, 46, I've never smoked, never really drunk, and I've got lung cancer," he told the Herald Sun in May.

"Bernie (Crimmins, brother of former Hawthorn captain and cancer victim, the late Peter Crimmins) rang me and said 'You better come in and see me'.

"I went in and he's chucked up the X-ray and he's gone 'It's not normal', and it was your classic lump about that big (the size of an orange) sitting there (right lung).

"It had spread right out that way (to the right). It was as clear as day.

"Then he told me I had lung cancer. He said 'Right, we need to find the best people to get you to go and see and start the process.' I've just fallen off a cliff."

Melbourne president Jim Stynes, another of the Demons' Irish recruits who is locked in his own battle with cancer, spoke about his reaction to Wight's diagnosis in a Herald Sun interview in March.

"Who would have thought he'd end up basically like me?" Stynes said.

"I was shocked. I just couldn't believe it. I was like 'this can't be happening'."

Wight's former teammate Garry Lyon wrote about Wight's on- and off-field traits in The Age in early March.

"Sean refused to be pigeon-holed as a footballer, on or off the field," Lyon wrote.

"In some ways, he was a walking contradiction. I remind him that he was possibly the worst trainer I have seen in my time at Melbourne.

"But, at the same time, he was one of the few players in the competition capable of matching it with the almost incomparable Gary Ablett for speed, strength and athleticism. Sean was a phenomenal athlete.

"He was never prepared to compromise the way he conducted himself off the field, either, which at the time set him apart, somewhat, from the group.

"Football trips spent in bars and nightclubs held little appeal for him. As a non-drinker … he would much prefer indulging his great passion at the nearest golf club than the nearest beer garden."

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou paid tribute to Wight, who he said would be remembered as one of the pioneers for Irish players in Australian football.

"On behalf of the AFL, I want to pass on my condolences to Sean's family and all his friends and former teammates at the Melbourne Football Club during this difficult time," Demetriou said.

"Even though he was Scottish-born, Sean was part of the 'Irish experiment' initiated by Ron Barassi and Barry Richardson who brought a number of Gaelic footballers out from Ireland in the 1980s. He quickly adapted to our game with his tremendous athleticism and leap making him a favourite among Melbourne fans," Demetriou said.

"As someone who played against him, Sean was a very formidable opponent. In recent times, the whole football community has been touched by the tremendous courage he showed as he battled cancer."