Neale Daniher

Neale Francis Daniher (born 15 February 1961) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. He is best known for his playing career with the Essendon Football Club in the VFL/AFL and his coaching career with the Melbourne Football Club.

Early life[edit | edit source]

Neale Daniher was born in West Wyalong, New South Wales. He is one of four brothers who all played in the VFL/AFL, known collectively as the Daniher brothers. His brothers are Terry, Anthony, and Chris.

Playing career[edit | edit source]

Daniher made his debut for the Essendon Football Club in 1979. He was a talented and versatile player, capable of playing in multiple positions. However, his career was plagued by injuries, particularly to his knees, which limited his appearances. Despite these setbacks, Daniher played a total of 82 games and kicked 32 goals for Essendon before retiring in 1990.

Coaching career[edit | edit source]

After retiring as a player, Daniher transitioned into coaching. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at the Essendon Football Club and later at the Fremantle Football Club. In 1998, he was appointed senior coach of the Melbourne Football Club. Under his leadership, Melbourne reached the AFL Grand Final in 2000, although they were defeated by Essendon. Daniher coached Melbourne until 2007, amassing a total of 223 games as coach.

Personal life[edit | edit source]

In 2013, Daniher was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). Since his diagnosis, he has become a prominent advocate for MND awareness and research. He co-founded the charity organization FightMND, which raises funds for research into the disease. Daniher's efforts have been widely recognized, and he has become a respected figure in the fight against MND.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Neale Daniher is remembered not only for his contributions to Australian rules football as a player and coach but also for his tireless work in raising awareness and funds for motor neurone disease. His legacy continues to inspire many within and beyond the sporting community.

References[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Daniher's playing statistics from AFL Tables.html Neale Daniher's playing statistics from AFL Tables
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v t e Coaches of the Melbourne Football Club
VFL/AFL	1907–1909: Hall 1910: Drohan 1911–1913: Hall 1914: Incigneri 1915: McKenzie 1919: Heinz 1920: Brosnan 1921–1923: Wilson 1924: Rattray 1925–1927: Chadwick 1928–1932: Warne-Smith 1933–1941: Hughes 1942–1944: Beames 1945–1948: Hughes 1949–1951: La Fontaine 1952–1965: Smith 1965: Hughes 1965–1967: Smith 1968–1970: Beckwith 1971–1973: Ridley 1974–1977: Skilton 1978: Jones 1979–1980: Ditterich 1981–1985: Barassi 1986–1992: Northey 1993–1997: Balme 1997: Hutchison 1998–2007: Daniher 2007: Riley 2008–2011: Bailey 2011: Viney 2012–2013: Neeld 2013: Craig 2014–2016: Roos 2017–: Goodwin
AFL Women's	2017–: Stinear
Italics denote caretaker coach