Jim was an Irish-born footballer who converted from Gaelic football to Australian Rules football. Playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), he went on to become one of the game's most prominent figures, breaking the record for most consecutive games of VFL/AFL football (244) and winning the sport's highest individual honour, the Brownlow Medal in 1991. Off the field, he was a notable AFL administrator, philanthropist, charity worker and writer.
While Jim’s name is synonymous with his successful AFL career both on and off the football field, his philanthropic endeavours earned him the award. Jim devoted much of his life to helping adolescents, expanding this commitment in 1994 when he co-created Reach with film director Paul Currie.
Through Reach, Jim made his mark on the lives of over 500,000 Victorian youths. Reach promotes mental health and wellbeing by supporting young people to develop skills such as resilience and emotional awareness. Its programs create a safe space for young people to develop trust, openness, and the freedom to express their concerns and realise they’re not alone.
As a result of his work with young people in Victoria Jim was named Victorian of the Year twice, in 2001 and 2003, and with the expanded profile of Reach nationally, awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2007.
Jim also served as president of the Melbourne Football Club from 2008 and was involved in fundraising efforts which brought the club out of debt. In 2009, Jim was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and continued to work during his treatment for brain metastasis. He died in March 2012 and was honoured by a state funeral held at St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne on 27 March 2012.