Neale Daniher: 2025 Australian of the Year for Victoria

Just watched Neale on AFL 360.

His courage is enormous as he battles MND in a public way to raise awareness.

Should be proud of himself.

Emotional to watch him. Absolute gentlemen and Bomber legend.

He is a great man. Without doubt a bomber legend.

His heart would be lifted to see his great mates son back.

Inducted into the Essendon Hall of Fame
Great bloke, great sense of humour.

3 Likes

See his speech on EFC website. Simply perfect

Well deserved appointment to our Hall of Fame.

Great bloke, great player, and played a pivotal role in our 93 Premiership.

As a young man he was the guy who was my favourite. Devastated when he went down.

1 Like

If you didnt watch Neale Daniher on 360 last night, then find it and watch it.

He is about the bravest bloke I have ever met and one of the greatest. Mrs Fox and I were all teared up listening to this incredible human being speak.

PLAY ON

4 Likes

Was called the ā€˜Icemanā€™ because he was cool under pressure. Heā€™s still showing us how cool he is under immense pressure now.

Video of the interview in the link

A BRAVE Neale Daniher says heā€™s ā€œplaying onā€ as he continues his incredible fight against motor neurone disease (MND).
The former Essendon player and Melbourne coach is spearheading the fourth Big Freeze at the ā€˜G at the Queenā€™s Birthday clash between the Demons and Collingwood this Monday.

All 18 AFL coaches will head down the slide into the ice bath before the game in an incredible show of support for the infectiously positive - and still hilarious - Daniher.

ā€œMND is a progressive disease, it takes things from you. All the things you love,ā€ he told Fox Footyā€™s AFL 360.

ā€œI love to run, I love to play golf, I love to play tennis. You canā€™t do that. You canā€™t drive. I canā€™t dress myself. Iā€™m struggling to talk. And I miss that because Robbo, as you know, Iā€™m a very funny guy! Iā€™m hilarious.

ā€œBut thereā€™s one thing it canā€™t take from me. MND takes everything from you except your last great freedom; and thatā€™s your right to choose your attitude.

ā€œYou choose your own way. And my attitude is donā€™t give up, donā€™t give in. It canā€™t take that from you.ā€

TO DONATE SMS ā€œFREEZEā€ TO 0429 000 333 OR HEAD TO FIGHTMND.ORG.AU

Daniher says he isnā€™t scared by the disease, which slowly paralyses the human body. AFL 360 co-host Mark Robinson said frankly to Daniher as he returned to the show, ā€œI didnā€™t think Iā€™d see you back here.ā€

An honest Daniher replied: ā€œIā€™m realistic. This will probably be my last opportunity to talk. Next year, if Iā€™m alive, Iā€™ll be grunting, trying to grunt funny jokes.ā€

ā€œIf you dwell on what will eventuate, it canā€™t help. Youā€™ve got the freedom to choose what you think, the freedom to choose your attitude, and Iā€™ve got a positive attitude to focus on what I can do. And if I stay there, Iā€™m OK.

ā€œBut if I move away from that, and you do fall, we all fall for playing the victim, everyoneā€™s a victim. Everyone has injustice in their life, bad luck. But if you stay there, you go nowhere.

ā€œSo I choose to think, whatā€™s the opportunity, what can I do, whatā€™s our next laugh? If you focus on that, you can get by.ā€

Well over 80,000 Fight MND beanies have already been sold this year, with his daughter Bec joining Daniher both in the campaign and on the show on Wednesday night.

ā€œWeā€™ve got a family philosophy - play on. Just play on,ā€ Daniher said.

ā€œIn football, if you play on, something happens. If you go back, donā€™t play on, nothing happens. So weā€™re the same. Weā€™ll play on, and weā€™ll keep playing on.

ā€œI donā€™t know how many laughs Iā€™ve got left, so Iā€™m going to use them all up.ā€

Oh, and Daniher talked a little bit of footy too - and given he was the coach the last time the Demons made a Grand Final, he understands the excitement.

ā€œI tell the Melbourne people, get excited, but letā€™s keep a lid on it,ā€ he said.

9 Likes

Before his fight began I heard him at a trainers night for EFCā€¦his story telling then was brilliant.

Hopefully he actually gets Australian Of The Year in January.

The AFL would get a lot of kudos if Neale was allowed onto stage on grand final to present the Premiership Cup.

3 Likes

This is awesome.

And for Nealeā€¦what an amazing guyā€¦and what a ā– ā– ā– ā–  hand heā€™s been dealt.

Did he ever play a game as captain?
3 knee recos, comes back to play with his three brothers, beats Victoria, coaches frigginā€™ Melbourne and takes them to a GF but has to play the greatest team of all time (but Roosy)ā€¦

Does all of what heā€™s doing now, with a smile, with a ā– ā– ā– ā–  of a disease that knocks so many out in six months.

Can you imagine getting all the EPL managers together for something like this?

A little emotionalā€¦

10 Likes

I may have worn the #6 on my back for a little while.

Not long enough.

And not to being the mood down, but letā€™s not forgetā€¦
Hird nominated SHSNBN for the bucket challenge.
It was beneath her.

9 Likes

Letā€™s hope the last bloke to slide struggles to get out of the water for a while

big sam would make all of them do it.

1 Like

Good call. I remember he nominated Wilson and Fatprick. Did either of them do it?

Wilson did which lead to the E McGuire ā€˜Iā€™ll donate $20k if someone holds her underā€™ controversy.

2 Likes

Different year.