Not usually one for fanfare, Joe Daniher brought the house down in a brief retirement speech at the Lions‘ end-of-season dinner on Thursday night.
The club had only hours earlier confirmed Saturday’s 10-goal grand final win over the Swans was Daniher’s last AFL game.
At the dinner, Daniher was called on stage by coach Chris Fagan, who had just revealed the 30-year-old would have retired a year earlier if the Lions had won the 2023 grand final over the Magpies.
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In typical Daniher style, he spoke for barely a minute. After a quip to Fagan that drew raucous laughter from the crowd, he said he’d deliver most of his thankyous in private, but took the opportunity to publicly thank two groups.
“I finally get the mic. I’m always chomping (champing) at the bit for a bit of media,” he said to laughs from the crowd.
“To the Essendon football club and more especially Essendon supporters, it’s a challenging period of time for that club. But as a player I always felt supported by the fans and for that I’m very grateful.
“To Brisbane Lions, Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears supporters, thank you so much for embracing me, letting me come here and have a kick and stuff up a bit on the field and get another kick and stuff up again and then keep trying.
“We got there in the end. To go out and get a premiership is what this club deserves, what so many people in this room deserve, and I’m very happy to be a small part of it.”
The 30-year-old was contracted to the Lions for next season. His storied career includes an Anzac Medal and All-Australian nod in 2017, Essendon’s Crichton Medal in 2017 and a Rising Star nomination in 2014.
Daniher was pivotal in Brisbane’s 60-point win against Sydney. He kicked 2.4 and racked up 16 disposals, including eight marks and four clearances after being thrown into the contest for back-up ruck Darcy Fort.
In the dying minutes, Daniher kicked Brisbane’s final goal to put the “final stamp” on the match.
He was subsequently mobbed by teammates in celebration as his parents, Anthony and Edna, were also captured crying in the stands. This out-of-character show of emotion caused many pundits to raise an eyebrow.
Known to keep to himself, Daniher was quick to dodge any direct questions post-match and quickly disappeared from Brisbane’s main dressing room, instead spending time with his family in an adjoining room.
In an earlier club statement, Daniher said he gave his “absolute all” to the Lions and the Bombers.
“I am extremely proud of what I achieved individually and as a team,” Daniher said in a club statement.
“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.”
According to leading AFL journalist Damian Barrett, Brisbane officials made a “concerted pitch” to change Daniher’s mind following the grand final.
Since debuting for the Essendon in 2013, Daniher has gone on to play 204 senior games across 12 seasons between the Bombers and Lions — booting 395 goals in the process.
After being taken by Essendon at pick 10 as a father-son selection in the 2012 national draft, Daniher made the move to Brisbane ahead of the 2021 season.
In his final season, Daniher featured in 27 games where he averaged 15 disposals, six marks and two goals a game.
His efforts led to selection in the 44-man All-Australian squad for a second consecutive year.
The news means that one of the VFL/AFL longest streaks will continue with no premiership team in history able to field the same line-up in a subsequent match.
