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Brisbane Lions key forward Joe Daniher has had his ups and downs in football – injuries restricted him to just 15 games in his last three years with Essendon; he’s had well-documented issues with his goalkicking; and there have been times when his reliability and commitment have been questioned.
On Saturday, though, he’ll reach the denouement of the most fruitful year of his career, in which he’s played every game, kicked 58 goals, and has been the focal point of the Brisbane Lions’ push to a grand final. In front of goal, his technique and routine has never looked surer, whether 15 metres out or 55.
Joe Daniher has had an outstanding 2023 campaign for the Lions.Credit: Getty Images
But, most of all, Daniher seems unfazed by the occasion. As the son of Essendon great Anthony, he grew up around the game. On-field, he often looks like a big kid. He still feels like a little one. “Everyone dreams back to that little kid that started loving the game,” he said on Monday. “Hopefully this week all our players can connect to that little kid that wanted to be out there.”
Daniher arrived in Brisbane at the end of the COVID-interrupted 2020 season, happy to escape Melbourne’s football-mad culture. He doesn’t even live in Brisbane, commuting to play and train from northern New South Wales. He very rarely consents to talk to the media. But he remains very aware that grand final week is for all fans of the game.
“We’ve got to be really aware of how important this week is to so many people,” he said. “This week is about the AFL fans as much as it is the players – it’s about the whole AFL community … we need to make sure that we give back to the people that support the game and love the game, and we’ll be doing that as best we can.”
Asked if the extended Daniher clan would be there to support him – not just Anthony and mother Joanne but his uncles Terry, Neale and Chris, who all played for the Bombers, he grinned. “I think a lot of them can go get their own tickets. I’ll look after a few, but I think my uncles and Dad can go find their own tickets for the game.”
“For anyone who’s not a fan of Collingwood, we’ll find you a scarf and a beanie to come along for the Brisbane ride.”
Uncle Neale, he said, would be there, despite his ongoing battle with Motor Neurone Disease and his ongoing work as co-founder and patron of the Fight MND charity. “He’d better be there! I think we’ll find him a Brisbane scarf. It might be hard work to get it on him, but I think he’ll get there.”
For non-Collingwood supporters, it’s scarves and beanies all round. “We’ve obviously got a proud history that lies in Victoria, our Fitzroy fan base is incredible [but] we’ll take any supporters that want to come along for the ride. For anyone who’s not a fan of Collingwood, we’ll find you a scarf and a beanie to come along for the Brisbane ride,” Daniher said.
“I’ve never played in a grand final, so it’ll be a unique atmosphere I imagine. There’ll be a lot of Collingwood supporters, a lot of Brisbane supporters, but really just a lot of AFL supporters there. So it’s just a terrific opportunity to play in front of the whole football community and we’re really excited about it.”
The Lions have held an advantage over Collingwood in recent years, having not been beaten by the Magpies since Easter Thursday of 2019. It is history now. “We’ve had a few wins against the Pies, but we’ve seen their football this year is incredible. They play with a lot of flair, a lot of freedom, there’s a reason they finished on top of the ladder.”
This time, the Lions will have to play them at the MCG – where the Lions have won just one match in the past 15 attempts. That, Daniher said, was history too. “We’re fully aware that the grand final’s played at the MCG and we’re very excited by that, it’s a stadium that holds the most amount fans in there to enjoy the game, and we’re very excited about that.”
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