Former AFL player and coach Neale Daniher has died at the age of 65, 13 years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease. His family confirmed his passing at home on Monday.
In a statement, his family said: “From day one, Neale was a fighter. His determination was unmatched – choosing every day to find opportunity where others might only see challenge, and taking the fight to ‘the Beast’ with everything he had.”
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon led tributes, saying Daniher’s legacy would extend far beyond football. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised his “selflessness and bravery”, while opposition leader Angus Taylor noted he lived his life after diagnosis “never waving a white flag”. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed plans for a state memorial service.
Daniher played for Essendon alongside three brothers, winning the club’s best and fairest in 1981 and later captaining the side. He coached Melbourne from 1998 to 2007, taking charge of 223 games. After his MND diagnosis, he co-founded FightMND, raising over $100 million for research. He was named Australian of the Year in 2024.
