A flag and goodbye: Joe Daniher ends AFL career
Daniher walks away, but his biggest challenge now awaits: Explaining his retirement to Grandma
In walking away from AFL football, Joe Daniher faces a challenge tougher than anything he encountered on the field.
Daniher ended more than a week of speculation on Thursday when he announced last Saturday’s grand final win was his 204th and last game at the elite level.
Joe Daniher has hung up the boots.Credit: AFL Photos
According to his dad Anthony, Joe leaves the AFL with a smile on his face and the support of his family.
But the Lions premiership player will now have to face family matriarch Edna Daniher and explain his decision.
“The biggest challenge Joe has got is how to explain to his 90-year-old grandma, Edna, why he is not playing next year,” Anthony told SEN with a laugh on Thursday.
“That is the next big challenge. She will be scratching her head (saying) ‘what are you doing?’
“If Jim [Joe’s grandfather] was still alive, he would be saying the same thing.”
Daniher was contracted to the Lions for next season but his father has no doubt he is happy with his decision and won’t have any regrets.
“(He’s) done and dusted I would say,” Anthony told SEN.
“We just caught up and had a beer. He’s ready to move on and (for) what comes next.”
Anthony added that Joe’s focus would be on his partner Adelle and two young children.
“He has a beautiful daughter, a beautiful son, and they are both up and about, so in 10 to 15 years time, who knows who could be running about kicking a footy,” Anthony said.
Lions football boss Danny Daly said the Lions were aware from late in the season it was likely Daniher would retire.
But he joked on Thursday that club officials made a last attempt to re-sign Daniher during their premiership celebrations.
Daniher’s final game in the AFL was a premiership win.Credit: AFL Photos
“I think we all knew that this news would come at some stage, even though we tried to get him to sign a coaster on Monday for another year,” Daly told AFL Trade Radio.
“Unfortunately for the club he has hung up his boots but, for him, it’s a new chapter moving forward so we wish him all the best for his future.”
Daniher called time on his top-flight career with 395 goals to his name across 12 seasons. In addition to winning a premiership this year, he was an All-Australian in 2017, won Essendon’s best and fairest, the AFL’s Mark of the Year, and the Anzac Medal that same year, and was also a six-time leading goalkicker across his stints with the Bombers and Lions.
“I retire knowing I gave my absolute all to the Brisbane Lions and Essendon, and I am extremely proud of what I achieved individually and as (part of) a team,” Daniher said.
“I am tremendously grateful for the opportunities given to me by both Brisbane and Essendon and I want to thank both clubs and their incredible fans for their support.
“It’s been an incredible journey here at the Brisbane Lions to go from a club that was really struggling at the bottom of the ladder to winning a premiership.
“As I finish up my career, I do so with the club in a great position on and off the field and I can’t wait to see the Brisbane Lions experience more success in the future.
“I am beyond excited by the squad we have at the Lions and especially the young talent we have coming through that are the future stars of this club.
“I want to thank everyone that has played a part in my AFL career and helping me become the player and person I am today.”
The now 30-year-old started his career with Essendon, where his family has a storied history, as a father-son selection in the 2012 national draft before arriving at Brisbane for the 2021 season.
Anthony played 115 games for the Swans and 118 for the Bombers, while Joe’s uncles Neale, Terry and Chris also played for Essendon. The four brothers famously played together in 1990.
Joe’s move to Brisbane, where he played for four seasons, was based in-part on an attempt to reduce the scrutiny of being a high-profile AFL player in Melbourne.
Daly said the club farewelled Daniher with mixed emotions.
“Joe is a generational type of player that will go down as one of the best forwards to have played AFL,” Daly said.
“We are extremely privileged that he played for the Brisbane Lions because he was a huge key to us experiencing the success we have and winning the premiership.
“What I love about Joey is that he has done it his way his whole career and in doing so has become a much-loved cult figure of our club and the AFL.
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“We are sad to see him hang up the boots and call time on his career, but he does so with the full blessing of everyone at the Brisbane Lions.”
While Daniher is a leading forward close to the top of his game, his decision to walk away from AFL football isn’t entirely a surprise.
Speculation has been rife since before last Saturday’s decider that he would pull the pin after the game.
Daniher has been a super-consistent player at Brisbane, playing virtually every match for the Lions after his final seasons at Essendon were marred by injury.
Carlton’s Charlie Curnow has won two of the past three Coleman Medals (2022 and 2023) and Jesse Hogan was this year’s leading goal-kicker with 69 goals. But Daniher has booted 46, 39, 61 and 58 goals respectively since his move to the sunshine state.
With Scott Spits
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