Neale Daniher

Neale Daniher
AO
Daniher in June 2017
Personal information
Nickname(s) The Reverend
Date of birth (1961-02-15)15 February 1961
Place of birth West Wyalong, New South Wales, Australia
Date of death 25 May 2026(2026-05-25) (aged 65)
Place of death Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Original team Ungarie (NRFNL)
Assumption College
Position(s) Half back flank
Career highlights

AFL

  • VFL Recruit of the Year 1978
  • Victorian representative (2 games)
  • New South Wales representative (1 game)

Essendon Football Club

Neale Francis Daniher AO (15 February 1961 – 25 May 2026) was an Australian rules footballer. He played for Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) from 1979 to 1990. He later coached Melbourne Football Club between 1998 and 2007. He also had coaching roles with Essendon, Fremantle and West Coast. His brothers, Terry, Anthony and Chris, also played for Essendon. He was born in West Wyalong, New South Wales.

Daniher was told he had motor neurone disease in 2013. He was later a campaigner for medical research of the disease. He was named the Australian of the Year in 2025.

Daniher died on 25 May 2026 in Melbourne, Australia at the age of 65.

References

  1. ↑ Rolfe, Peter (17 August 2014). "Neale Daniher, former Essendon champion and Melbourne coach has revealed his deadly battle with motor neurone disease". Herald Sun. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  2. ↑ Pierik, Jake Niall, Jon (2026-05-25). "'We're heartbroken': Neale Daniher dies, aged 65, after long fight with MND". The Age. Retrieved 2026-05-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ↑ "Neale Daniher, former AFL player and motor neurone disease campaigner, dies". ABC News. 2026-05-25. Retrieved 2026-05-25.

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