Neale Daniher will receive a state funeral following his death at the age of 65 on Monday, as the AFL and his former clubs pay tribute to an Australian hero. The football icon and former Australian of the Year courageously battled motor neurone disease for 13 years, never shying away as he became a crusader with FightMND.
He will be remembered on King's Birthday in a fortnight's time with what is sure to be a moving edition of the Big Freeze. But it is also fitting that Daniher, an AFL great before he won the hearts of the country over the past decade, will be honoured with a Victorian state funeral.
His wife Jan accepted the offer from Premier Jacinta Allan on Monday. "A few moments ago I spoke to Jan Daniher and expressed my deepest sympathy and condolences on the loss of her much-loved husband Neale, and passed on my condolences on behalf of everyone in the Victorian community to Jan and the family," Allan said. "During that conversation I offered to Jan and the family the services of a state funeral to honour the incredible commitment and legacy of Neale Daniher, and the family have accepted that offer. Arrangements will follow."
Allan said the "devastating news" was a chance to reflect on Daniher's contributions in the fight against MND. FightMND and the Big Freeze have so far raised more than $100 million. "(We reflect on) that incredible commitment and determination, following his diagnosis of MND and his determination not just to fight The Beast, but to give his energy to finding a cure, to raising money for a cure, and how that has touched the lives of so, so many families around the nation, as was recognised during his Australian of the Year recognition," Allan said. "Right now, our love and thoughts go to Jan and the family. You're in our hearts, you're in our thoughts. We are with you right now and we'll continue to be with you as we keep up Neale's fight against The Beast and to find a cure for MND."
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said football was "heartbroken" by the loss of Daniher. "The passing of Neale is a devastating loss not only for everyone fortunate enough to know him, but for everyone in our community for the selflessness that he represented," he said in a statement. "Neale was a brilliant player in his time on the field with Essendon and when injuries cut short his playing career, he was a passionate and outstanding coach that guided Melbourne to six finals series, including the 2000 grand final. But his contribution to wider Australian life was simply incredible in the way he put himself at the forefront, despite the challenge of his own MND diagnosis, to raise awareness of the disease, champion fundraising efforts and search for a cure that he knew would likely not help him, but may help many thousands of other Australians in the future. I had the privilege of being on the Fight MND Board with Neale and the Big Freeze match, which he founded, has raised millions of dollars and Neale continued to work and push himself to motivate others to do more, even when his own illness affected his mobility and speech and he had more than earned the right to rest. As a past Australian of the Year in 2025, his values for how he lived his life, for the countless occasions he stepped forward to speak for those who did not have a voice, and acted for those who had no one to stand up for them, will define how we will remember him as one of the very greatest that we had the privilege to call a 'football person'. We send our heartfelt condolences and love to his wife Jan, children Bec, Ben, Lauren and Luke and their partners, and the wider Daniher family, for a life of leadership and service that has given so much to football."
Melbourne paid tribute to "an extraordinary man" whose legacy "is woven into every fabric of the club". "It is impossible to encapsulate in words the impact of Neale Daniher," Demons president Steven Smith said. "His courage transcended the football field, and his determination inspired an entire country. Neale was not driven by personal motivation, he was driven by helping others, right until the very end. He was a true leader and the definition of what it means to be selfless. Neale was a man of action not words and he embodied the saying, that he himself made famous, 'the mark of a person is not what you say, but what you do'. He will be greatly missed by us all, but he will never be forgotten. To Jan, Bec, Ben, Lauren, Luke, and the entire Daniher family we extend our deepest sympathies."
Daniher captained Essendon at the age of just 21 before being cut down by injuries. But not before he took the field alongside brothers Terry, Anthony and Chris in the same game — a feat unlikely to be repeated. "A club Hall of Fame Legend whose unbreakable spirit inspired the nation," the Bombers said. "Our thoughts are with Neale's friends, the Daniher family and the Essendon Football Club community at this time."
