Neale Daniher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Neale DaniherAO |
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Daniher in June 2017
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| Personal information | |||
| Nickname(s) | The Reverend | ||
| Date of birth | 15 February 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | West Wyalong, New South Wales | ||
| Original team | Ungarie (NRFNL) Assumption College |
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| Position(s) | Half back flank | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Neale Francis Daniher AO (born 15 February 1961) is a famous former Australian rules football player. He played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Later, he became a coach for the Melbourne Football Club from 1998 to 2007. He also coached at Essendon, Fremantle, and West Coast. His three brothers, Terry, Anthony, and Chris, also played for Essendon.
In 2013, Neale Daniher was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). Since then, he has become a well-known champion for medical research into this disease. His amazing efforts led to him being named the 2025 Australian of the Year.
Contents
Early Life and Sporting Beginnings
Neale Daniher was born on February 15, 1961, in West Wyalong, New South Wales. He was the third of eleven children in his family. He grew up in a Catholic family and went to St Joseph's Catholic School for primary education.
He later attended St Patrick's College and Assumption College, Kilmore. At Assumption College, he was the captain of both the football and cricket teams. After school, he studied computer science at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT).
Discovering a Love for Sport
From a young age, Neale loved sports, especially Australian rules football. He played in the Northern Riverina Football League (NRFL) on Saturdays. He also played rugby league at school events. Before college, he won several "best and fairest" awards in the NRFL.
In 1978, both the South Melbourne and Essendon clubs wanted Neale to play for them. After some discussions, Essendon won the right to recruit him. This was because South Melbourne had agreed to this when they traded Neale's brother, Terry Daniher, to Essendon earlier.
AFL Playing Career
Neale Daniher played for Essendon in the VFL/AFL from 1979 to 1990.
Playing for Essendon
He played 66 games in his first three years. However, injuries, especially to his knees, limited him to only 16 more games over the next ten seasons. In total, he played 82 games for Essendon. He was named captain in 1982 but could not lead the team due to his injuries.
On September 1, 1990, Neale and his three brothers made history. They became the first group of four brothers to play for the same team in a single VFL/AFL game. The brothers also played together for New South Wales against Victoria in a State of Origin match on May 22, 1990.
Neale retired from Essendon at the end of the 1990 season. He then played for Werribee in the Victorian Football Association in 1991.
Coaching Journey
After his playing days, Neale Daniher started a career in coaching.
Assistant Coach Roles
His first coaching job was as an assistant coach at the Essendon Football Club. He worked under head coach Kevin Sheedy from 1992 to 1994. During this time, Essendon won the 1993 premiership.
In 1995, Daniher joined the Fremantle Football Club as an assistant coach. He worked there for their first three seasons until the end of 1997.
Leading the Melbourne Demons
After his time at Fremantle, Neale Daniher became the head coach of the Melbourne Football Club. He coached the team for ten seasons, from 1998 to 2007.
In his first year, the 1998 season, Melbourne finished fourth. They made it to the preliminary final but were defeated by North Melbourne. The 1999 season was tougher, with the Demons finishing 14th.
In the 2000 season, Daniher led Melbourne to the 2000 AFL Grand Final. They played against his old team, Essendon. Unfortunately, Melbourne lost the game by 60 points. After reaching the Grand Final, the Demons finished 11th in the 2001 season.
Melbourne returned to the finals in the 2002 season. They won their first final against North Melbourne. However, they were later knocked out by the Adelaide Crows. The 2003 season was difficult, with the Demons finishing 14th.
In 2004, Neale became more active in the media to help the club. He was even nicknamed "The Reverend" for his strong speaking skills. This helped boost the club's membership and public image. In the 2004 season, Melbourne was at the top of the ladder after 18 rounds. However, a losing streak saw them finish 5th and get knocked out of the finals early.
The 2005 season was similar, with Melbourne making the finals but losing in the first week. In the 2006 season, the Demons improved. They made it to the semi-finals after beating St Kilda, but then lost to Fremantle.
The 2007 season started with nine straight losses for Melbourne. On June 27, 2007, Daniher announced he would step down as coach at the end of the season. Two days later, he changed his mind and said the Round 13 game against Essendon would be his last. Melbourne lost that game by just 2 points. Assistant coach Mark Riley took over as caretaker coach.
After Coaching
Working for West Coast Eagles
After leaving coaching, Neale Daniher became the general manager of football operations for the West Coast Eagles. He held this role from 2008 until September 2013. He stepped down for health reasons, which he made public in August 2014.
Fighting MND
Neale Daniher was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2013. MND is a disease that affects the brain and nerves. As of 2025, there is no cure for MND. Neale decided to spend the rest of his life teaching Australians about the disease.
He helped start and became a patron of the charity, FightMND. This charity raises money for research through big events, donations, and selling items like blue and grey beanies. Since 2015, the yearly King's Birthday match between Melbourne and Collingwood has partnered with the Big Freeze charity. This event raises money for MND research. The Neale Daniher Trophy, given to the best player in this match, is named in his honor.
Awards and Recognition
Neale Daniher has received many honors for his work.
National Awards
In 2016, he received a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) award. This was for his efforts in raising awareness and funds for MND research. In 2021, he was promoted to Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). This was for his "distinguished service" to people with MND and their families.
In 2025, Neale Daniher was named Australian of the Year. This award recognized his amazing fundraising and strong fight against MND.
See also
- List of Australian rules football families
