Stynes home from hospital, watching Dees on TV
Melbourne president Jim Stynes is back home after cancer surgery and is watching a live feed of the Melbourne v Port Adelaide match
The popular president sent shockwaves through the football world when he revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer in his back and would require at least two operations to combat the disease.
Interim president Don McLardy used his pre-match address ahead of Sunday's match against Port Adelaide to update members on Stynes' condition.
"I spoke to Jimmy this morning and he's in great spirits," McLardy said.
"He did tell me that his chest has been extremely painful. They opened his ribcage up and he did say that if he was still playing he might have had to miss this week, so he must have been in a fair bit of pain."
Sunday's match will be telecast on delay into Melbourne, but Stynes will be able to watch it live after channel seven arranged for a live feed of the telecast into his home.
The Demons honoured their president with a fighting, emotional win over West Coast the weekend after his diagnosis became public which McLardy said was a source of pride for all involved.
"We asked the 22 players to stand up and represent the feelings of all of our club … and I really think they did so with distinction," he said.
"I thought in some ways that they actually played like a young Jimmy Stynes; they didn't have the polish and developed skills yet, but they played with enormous heart and courage which I think gives us enormous hope for the future."
The president also revealed that Stynes plans to make his first public appearance following his hospital stay at a debt demolition evening planned for August 5.
The evening will kick off a second month of debt demolition activities which the Dees hope can recreate the highly-successful initiative first played out last year which raised just over $2 million for the debt-ridden club.
"I'm not sure what we'll achieve this year," McLardy said.
"Obviously to get rid of the remaining $2 million [of debt] would be great, but it's really important that everyone understands that we're obsessed with getting rid of our debt.
"We're very conscious that there is an economic crisis on at the moment, we know that. We're also aware that there were plenty of people who contributed last year who mightn't be in a position to that this year and that's fine.
"We completely understand that, but we did prove last year that Melbourne's hearts do beat true and that from a critical position the Demons' supporters really rallied behind Jim and the whole club."