Latest news with #Daniher
7NEWS
17 hours ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin confirms ‘cheeky text' to Joe Daniher as comeback rumours swirl
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has admitted he sent a cheeky text message to Joe Daniher in an audacious bid to lure the premiership player out of retirement. 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary exclusively revealed the Demons approached Daniher as they look to fix their forward woes. 'Melbourne and coach Simon Goodwin are attempting to convince Joe Daniher to return to the AFL next season, less than 12 months after he called it quits,' Cleary told 7NEWS on Monday night. 'The 31-year-old has spent recent months in Europe and lives in northern New South Wales, but it hasn't stopped Goodwin and the Dees making a pitch. 'Goodwin was an assistant coach at the Bombers for two years with Daniher, while Dees forward Jake Melksham — currently in the form of his life — previously called him a teammate. 'It is still seen as unlikely, however the approach highlights how keen the Demons are to bolster their key forward stocks.' Goodwin confirmed he touched base with Daniher, but said the 31-year-old was happy in retirement. 'I might have sent him a cheeky text message just to check in with big Joe,' Goodwin said on Fox Footy's AFL 360. 'I obviously coached Joe at Essendon in my early days as a coach and sent him a message just to make sure he was enjoying retirement as much as I thought he would. 'The answer was pretty clear - he is enjoying it. It (the pursuit) was pretty short-lived.' The coach added that they will leave 'no stone unturned' in making their list better in the off-season. 'Whether that be through the draft, through trade, through developing our players on our current list in terms of how we look and how we play,' he said. 'So we're going to leave no stone unturned in how we go about getting better and Joe was a sneaky text but he laughed it off pretty quick.' A notoriously private and unique character, Daniher famously shocked the footy world by calling time on his career in the aftermath of his second club's premiership success last year. The enigmatic, match-winning left-footer had arguably the best season of his career in 2024, but walked away from the lucrative contract he still had at the Lions to retire. Daniher, who was drafted to Essendon as a father-son selection in 2012, was critical to the Lions' success in 2024, and almost dragged them over the line against Collingwood in the previous year's decider. He left the game with 395 goals from 204 games across his time at Brisbane and Essendon. '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 a team,' Daniher said last October, less than a week after the flag. '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.' Following his retirement, Lions coach Chris Fagan revealed that it was after the 2023 grand final that Daniher first told the coach of his desire to walk away. In a meeting after that loss to the Magpies, Daniher told Fagan that had the Lions won that game, he would have hung the boots up there and then. 'Last year after the grand final, Joey gave me a call and said, 'Can we have a meeting?' So I caught up with him,' Fagan said at Brisbane's best and fairest last year. 'And he said to me, 'You know, if we had have won this week, I was going to retire'. 'I thought, 'Geez, I hope he's not going to retire (now)'. 'But he said, 'But I'm going to play for one more year, and I hope we can win a premiership'. I'm so pleased that that's happened, Joey, that you've got to go out on the back of winning a premiership.'
Mercury
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Mercury
Joe Daniher return rumours denied by Sydney coach Dean Cox
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Swans coach Dean Cox has categorically denied that the club has reached out to premiership-winning key forward Joe Daniher as a potential solution to their attacking problems. Sydney has been far from their free-flowing attacking best this season, with last year's key trio of Joel Amartey, Logan McDonald and Hayden McLean all impacted by a combination of injury, suspension and form issues in 2025. Daniher stepped into retirement after last year's grand final triumph with the Lions, and is currently gallivanting around Europe while focusing on business interests. But it hasn't stopped reports linking him with a potential AFL comeback in the red and white. The Swans have also been recently linked with a move for the Bulldogs' former number-one draft pick, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, but it is the Daniher connection that has been stronger over the past fortnight. The Swans also initially tried to lure Daniher to the Harbour City before he eventually left Essendon for Brisbane at the end of 2020. However, Cox was adamant that the Swans had not picked up the phone to the 31-year-old. 'As a footy club, we haven't inquired or spoken to Joe,' Cox said. 'I can categorically say that. 'Having said that, I make sure the list management team are exploring everyone across the country to improve our list. Joe just hasn't been on that list. 'I wouldn't mind going over to Europe to say hello. But no, we haven't made any contact.' Isaac Heeney and Will Hayward are the only two players who have kicked 20+ goals this season for the Swans, while Amartey is set to return for Sunday's clash against Fremantle as the club's main key forward threat. Meanwhile, Daniher's former coach Chris Fagan also played down any talk that he could be convinced to pull on the boots again. The pair teamed up for the ultimate premiership success against the Swans last September, and it's clear that it was the highlight that Daniher wanted to end his career with. 'I'm nearly 100 per cent sure, 99.99 per cent sure,' Fagan said. 'Joe is enjoying life at the moment, and the other thing I'd be confident with is if he did (return), he would play with us. 'I've been texting him a little bit while he's been in Portugal and Spain, enjoying life, so I don't think he'd be in great nick right now. I'd be very, very surprised if Joey ever plays footy again.' Originally published as Sydney coach Dean Cox denies club has reached out to Joe Daniher about an AFL return
West Australian
12-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
West Coast Eagles rally around Neale Daniher in fight against MND with WA Freeze
West Coast have rallied around the Daniher family ahead of staging the WA Freeze on Sunday during their clash with Carlton at Optus Stadium. Big Freeze 11 was another roaring success during Melbourne and Collingwood's King Birthday clash at the MCG on Monday, and now the Eagles will have their turn to honour the AFL champion. Daniher was working at the club when he was diagnosed with Motor neurone disease in 2013, an incurable illness that causes weakness in the muscles, leading eventually to paralysis. West Coast co-captain Liam Duggan said Sunday would be a special day and that the players were keen to honour Daniher with a strong performance as they hunt their second triumph of the season. 'It's an exciting day; the beanies are one thing, it's obviously very visual, and it's a great cause to be around,' he told club media. 'To be a part of our Freeze game in WA, it's really special. Obviously, the game last week looked super cool from afar with the slide and the quality of game it was. 'To play in that way, that style and the way Danners (Daniher) would have played his footy and coached his footy and the way that he's fought against this beast - that's how we'll be going out to play this game on the weekend.' Channel 7 icon Rick Ardon will lead the Perth personalities to take the icy plunge on Sunday with radio host Kymba Cahill as well as comedian Peter Rowsthorn. Adelaide will also host an SA Freeze in their match with Brisbane at Adelaide Oval. Luke Daniher, Neale's son, said it was good to see the fight against MND still going strong in the place his father's battle began. 'It's amazing to think it is the 11th year, and it's always good to come back to, I guess, where it all began,' he said. '2013, that's when Dad was diagnosed and he was at West Coast. 'It's amazing to have the West Coast team rally around him and it all kicked off with a fundraiser at The Stables with all those at the West Coast Eagles. It's just grown and grown and grown.' Luke urged fans to continue to rally around the cause to help find a cure. 'It's very important to keep the best and brightest minds busy when it comes to the beast of a disease,' he said. 'It impacts everyone differently. Every day, two people are diagnosed with MND, and every day, two people lose their lives, so it's incredibly urgent we do something about it.' 'When it comes to fighting such a beast of a disease, it requires a big army, and it's amazing to have the West Coast Eagles, all the supporters, to get behind the cause and without you, we won't find a cure.'
Perth Now
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Eagles rally around Daniher family ahead of WA Freeze
West Coast have rallied around the Daniher family ahead of staging the WA Freeze on Sunday during their clash with Carlton at Optus Stadium. Big Freeze 11 was another roaring success during Melbourne and Collingwood's King Birthday clash at the MCG on Monday, and now the Eagles will have their turn to honour the AFL champion. Daniher was working at the club when he was diagnosed with Motor neurone disease in 2013, an incurable illness that causes weakness in the muscles, leading eventually to paralysis. West Coast co-captain Liam Duggan said Sunday would be a special day and that the players were keen to honour Daniher with a strong performance as they hunt their second triumph of the season. 'It's an exciting day; the beanies are one thing, it's obviously very visual, and it's a great cause to be around,' he told club media. 'To be a part of our Freeze game in WA, it's really special. Obviously, the game last week looked super cool from afar with the slide and the quality of game it was. 'To play in that way, that style and the way Danners (Daniher) would have played his footy and coached his footy and the way that he's fought against this beast - that's how we'll be going out to play this game on the weekend.' Eagles gathering ahead of the WA Freeze with Neale Daniher's son Luke. Credit: West Coast Eagles / Supplied Channel 7 icon Rick Ardon will lead the Perth personalities to take the icy plunge on Sunday with radio host Kymba Cahill as well as comedian Peter Rowsthorn. Adelaide will also host an SA Freeze in their match with Brisbane at Adelaide Oval. Luke Daniher, Neale's son, said it was good to see the fight against MND still going strong in the place his father's battle began. 'It's amazing to think it is the 11th year, and it's always good to come back to, I guess, where it all began,' he said. The AFLW Eagles sport the Big Freeze beanies. Credit: West Coast Eagles / Supplied '2013, that's when Dad was diagnosed and he was at West Coast. 'It's amazing to have the West Coast team rally around him and it all kicked off with a fundraiser at The Stables with all those at the West Coast Eagles. It's just grown and grown and grown.' Luke urged fans to continue to rally around the cause to help find a cure. 'It's very important to keep the best and brightest minds busy when it comes to the beast of a disease,' he said. Liam Ryan with Neale Daniher's son Luke. Credit: West Coast Eagles / Supplied 'It impacts everyone differently. Every day, two people are diagnosed with MND, and every day, two people lose their lives, so it's incredibly urgent we do something about it.' 'When it comes to fighting such a beast of a disease, it requires a big army, and it's amazing to have the West Coast Eagles, all the supporters, to get behind the cause and without you, we won't find a cure.'
Sydney Morning Herald
09-06-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
How AI technology gave Neale Daniher his voice back
AFL icon and Australian of the Year Neale Daniher lost the ability to speak because of motor neurone disease (MND), but thanks to AI technology, his family and fans can hear his voice again. Here's how the technology works. MND is a degenerative autoimmune disease that damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord responsible for controlling muscles, which slowly impedes the person's ability to move and speak. But the eye can be resistant to the degeneration, so eye-gaze technology has been developed to help patients communicate. Eye-gaze technology involves the user looking at a keyboard or phrases on a screen, while an infrared-sensitive camera tracks their eye as it moves. The camera uses the pupil as a centrepoint and the light reflecting off the eye to detect movement, allowing the user to spell out or select words, according to research and development company Eyegaze Inc. Daniher, 64, has used the technology to record his words which are converted into an animated voice. He was using that technology in January when he made his acceptance speech as Australian of the Year, an award bestowed on him for his fundraising efforts to find a cure for MND. The voice has a similar robotic cadence as that made famous by fellow MND sufferer Stephen Hawking, though the theoretical physicist used a cheek muscle to dictate to a computer once he lost the use of his hands. But with the latest AI developments that allow for voice cloning, Daniher has been able to communicate using a voice, tone and style that sounds remarkably like he did beforehand.
