Organisers of the upcoming Big Freeze at the MCG are preparing to make changes to the event to acknowledge the added significance of Neale Daniher's death after a 13-year battle with motor neurone disease. However, this is not expected to include an appearance by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Call for Prime Minister's involvement
Former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon had called for Mr Albanese to join this year's sliders at the MCG before the traditional game between Collingwood and the Demons on the King's Birthday Monday, and then donate a large cheque to Fight MND. But while organisers have already begun discussing what is possible, it is understood prior commitments will prevent Mr Albanese from being at the MCG.
Big Freeze host's remarks
Big Freeze host, Channel 7's Hamish McLachlan, said Daniher's passing on Monday had been felt across Australia and it was clear that the match on June 8 will now have a totally different feel.
"I think there is every chance that a few things change now. There will probably be a few people added to the day. One of the great privileges of Australian sport was being chosen by Neale to slide," McLachlan said.
"I think there's every chance we have the biggest crowd we have ever had at the Big Freeze. It would be all of us tipping our beanie to him and saying 'we get it and it's not done. We have to keep on grinding.'"
"He asked us to do very little, but he knew that lots of small actions can change the world. All he really asked us to do was buy a beanie, look after each other and until he told us to stop, to keep going. He hasn't told us to stop. He's just elsewhere."
Honours for Daniher
Daniher's courageous battle to raise money and awareness for MND saw him named the Australian of the Year in 2025. But there have been widespread calls for Daniher to receive more honours.
McLachlan said Daniher had such an impact on Australia that a major new award should be struck.
"Whatever the highest honour is, then put the Neale Daniher name to it," he said. "The Neale Daniher Medal should be the equivalent of being named our greatest individual and it doesn't need to be awarded each year if no-one deserves it."
"I heard someone say we lost a sporting great and I thought it undersold it. He played football and he coached football but that was a small part of Neale Daniher's existence."
"What's the equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize that we can create to award Australians for superhuman feats that benefit the greater good of this country? I can't think of anyone who has united the country like he has over the last decade-and-a-half."
"He's rallied all tribes that support football to become one and then gone outside that sphere to rally the country."
