Footy icon Neale Daniher has been hailed at his state funeral at the MCG in front of thousands of fans and a who’s who of the AFL world.
Daniher, who became the symbol of the fight against MND, died on May 25, aged 65 after a 13-year-long public battle with what he called The Beast.
On Wednesday, thousands of people flocked to the same hallowed ground where Daniher played for and coached the Bombers and Demons, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan leading the tributes.
But before they addressed the crowd, MC Hamish McLachlan provided a bit of a surprise as he introduced Uncle Colin Hunter, who performed the Welcome to Country.
The Channel Seven star told Hunter, ‘Don’t muck it up!’ before the Indigenous elder delivered a flawless Welcome that he changed to pay a special tribute to Daniher.
Lauren Daniher provided one of the most emotional moments of the service when she revealed the final thing her father told her and her mum Jan before he passed away.
Pictured: How the stage was set at the MCG as the footy world farewelled Neale Daniher on Wednesday
The Essendon and Melbourne legend died on May 25 aged 65 after a 13-year-long public battle with motor neurone disease
Indigenous elder Uncle Colin Hunter delivered a flawless Welcome to Country (pictured) after MC Hamish McLachlan raised eyebrows by warning him, ‘Don’t muck it up!’
‘The last thing Dad communicated to Mum and me was that he wanted to get up,’ she said, with the anecdote speaking volumes about her father’s famous refusal to be cowed by MND.
McLachlan started proceedings by telling the assembled mourners, ‘Today we gather to remember a great Aussie, one who not only left his mark on the game, but on humanity.’
Allan followed him to the rostrum and recalled barracking for the Essendon team that featured Daniher and his brothers in her childhood.
She also revealed what he sent her in a letter last year.
‘You can’t always choose what happens, but you can always choose how you respond,’ it read.
‘Waiting for certainty keeps you stuck and courage begins the moment you decide.’
Albanese said MND had an astonishing effect on Daniher.
‘None of it diminished him. It enlarged him,’ the PM said.
Daniher’s daughter Lauren (pictured) revealed her father’s last message to her and her mum was that he ‘wanted to get up’ despite being left wheelchair-bound by MND
Musician Paul Kelly changed the chorus of his hit ‘Leaps and Bounds’ to pay tribute to Daniher in a surprise musical performance
Anthony Albanese said MND didn’t diminish Daniher
‘When he lost his voice his words became more powerful. When he could no longer walk more and more Australians put on their beanies and marched at his side.’
Jan Daniher drew laughs when she recalled her first date with her husband-to-be as an unromantic affair as the two dined on lamb’s fry in a ‘dark old pub’ in Melbourne’s CBD.
She broke down as she said his ‘most important role of all was becoming a father to our four children’.
‘It gave him a new perspective on life. He adored being a dad,’ she said.
Jan and Neale’s children Lauren, Luke, Bec and Ben all spoke.
Lauren got the crowd laughing by recalling that her dad was sometimes so preoccupied with footy that he forgot to pick her and her siblings up from school, with Ben also joking about being coached by his dad – saying it was the only premiership his old man won after his playing career finished.
Luke said he lived his life according to an acronym his father taught him: WITO, where is the opportunity.
Pictured: The huge queue of footy fans as they waited to enter the MCG before the service
Daniher’s brother and fellow Essendon icon Terry (centre) is pictured outside the stadium
Footy great turned TV star Rex Hunt made a rare public appearance to pay tribute
The Bombers were also represented by James Hird (left) and former chairman Paul Little
Lauren Daniher’s daughter Rosie provided one of the day’s many emotional moments as she told the crowd ‘I wish Poppy could come back and take me on adventures’
Bec Daniher – who is the executive director and spokesperson for her dad’s FightMND charity – warned the crowd she wouldn’t be able to finish her speech before breaking down.
She said he wasn’t big on giving out compliments, so ‘a simple “well done” meant the world to me’ – before crying as she talked about the fact Neale will never see the unborn child she’s carrying.
‘I know you wanted to meet him, he will have your spirit,’ she said through tears.
Daniher’s grandson Cooper and granddaughter Rosie also spoke, with Rosie telling the crowd, ‘I love Poppy very much … he would rock me to sleep on his leg … I wish he could come back and take me on adventures.’
Anthony Daniher – who played alongside Neale and their brothers Terry and Chris at Essendon – hailed his sibling before the fans and AFL luminaries were treated to a special performance by Paul Kelly.
He played one of Daniher’s favourite songs, his hit Leaps and Bounds, and added a tribute to the man of the hour in the chorus.
‘I remember. I remember you, Neale. We remember you, Reverend,’ Kelly said, using Daniher’s footy nickname.
Terry Daniher and many members of the family were in attendance, as well as the current playing groups from the Demons and Bombers.
Essendon great James Hird was there, arriving with former Bombers chairman Paul Little, and the audience also featured Scott Selwood, Mark Harvey, former AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou, and current league boss Andrew Dillon.
Other stars to pay their respects included John Worsfold, Demons legends David Neitz and Paul Hopgood – both of whom spoke to share stories about their former coach – Swans boss Dean Cox, Garry Lyon, Brett Ratten and Ron Andrews.
Rex Hunt – who played for Richmond, Geelong and St Kilda before becoming a TV star with his fishing show and footy commentary – was also present, despite largely vanishing from the public eye in recent years after suffering a health scare in 2023.
