Thousands of mourners lined the streets of Melbourne on Monday to bid farewell to AFL great and motor neurone disease advocate Neale Daniher at a state funeral. The hearse carrying Daniher's body slowly drove along the 'Daniher's Way' from the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where fans formed a guard of honour, applauding as The Killers' song 'Mr Brightside' played in the background.
During the memorial service, Daniher's children Loz, Luke, and Ben, along with his brothers Terry and Chris, and son-in-law Drew Howell, served as pallbearers. Speakers paid tribute to Daniher's courage and impact, describing him as a man who turned personal adversity into national inspiration and changed how many view the world.
Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan shared personal stories, recalling how Daniher gave him his first job in football 29 years ago. Fagan described Daniher's blunt and honest coaching style, including a memorable moment when Daniher pulled him aside and said, 'I didn't bring you here to just shift the cones around.' Fagan credited Daniher with helping him overcome imposter syndrome and become a senior coach.
Friend Cam Taylor recounted a humorous first meeting with Daniher, where after knocking on his door, Daniher responded gruffly, 'Who are you?' before telling him to 'take your son and nick off.' Despite the rocky start, the encounter led to a lasting friendship between their families.
The service concluded with a message from the family: 'Neale, you lost your voice and you are gone but your message remains very loud. We honour you today with our grief and we will continue to honour you with our doing.'
