AHEAD of Melbourne's annual Jim's Game between the Demons and Lions on Sunday, in support of the Jim Stynes Foundation and celebrating the legacy of Demons great and former president, his widow Sam Ludbey-Stynes had the opportunity to engage in conversation with the recipient of the 2025 Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award, Brisbane co-captain Harris Andrews.
Andrews will launch the Beyond DV Bursary, funded by the $40,000 grant awarded in the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award.
The discussion explored his work with young people in the domestic violence space — and why leadership in today’s AFL is as much about impact off the field as performance on it.
What's striking to me about Harris Andrews is that he is a juxtaposition to the narrative. His commitment to Beyond DV charitable work in the domestic violence space is not born from personal tragedy or lived experience, but from a deep sense of empathy, responsibility, and an understanding of the influence he holds as an AFL player.
As Harris shared with me: “I don’t want to get to the end of my footy career without making a difference.” It's a reflection that captures both his intent and the clarity with which he approaches this work.
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So often, the organisations that shape our communities are born from heartbreak. The Jim Stynes Foundation, established to continue my late husband’s legacy of empowering young people following his death from cancer. The Alannah and Madeline Foundation, created by Walter Mikac after the devastating loss of his daughters in the Port Arthur massacre. The Luke Batty Foundation, driven by Rosie Batty’s unimaginable grief following the loss of her son, and her determination to create systemic change in the face of family violence. These are stories of profound loss transformed into purpose.
Harris Andrews sits alongside these legacies in a different, yet equally important way.
As the recipient of the 2025 Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award for his charitable work with Beyond DV, supporting and educating young men to make positive and healthy changes within their relationships, Harris represents the next evolution of that legacy — one not shaped by lived trauma, but by conscious choice. He’s smart, currently studying teaching alongside being a dual premiership player, and he cares.
In fact, Harris speaks warmly of his upbringing:“I grew up in a loving family with mum and dad as great role models. My dad showed me what it means to be a respectful man, and the importance of showing respect towards women.”
His advocacy demonstrates that you do not need to have endured trauma to stand up against it. You simply need the willingness to use your voice, your platform, and your influence to make a difference.
In this way, Harris not only honours the legacy of Jim Stynes and his belief in young people as agents for change, but actively reinforces it. He carries forward the same conviction that influence is a privilege — and with it comes responsibility. It’s a mindset further shaped by the platform he holds.
“I’ve been in the AFL system for 12 seasons now, but I’ve been around local footy clubs since I was five… I do not want to be arrogant or cocky about it, but plenty of people look up to AFL players, on and off the field, and I feel a responsibility to lead young men in a constructive way," Andrews said.
"My motivation comes from being able to help even just one young man at a time — because that impact can change attitudes and behaviours — and extend far beyond what we see.”
To read Sam Ludbey-Stynes' full reflections on her conversation with Harris Andrews, head to the Melbourne FC website.