Image caption: Neale Daniher (left) with family members younger brother Anthony, mother Edna, father Jim, youngest brother Chris, and older brother Terry prior to NSW v Victoria at the SCG in 1990. This was the first game the four brothers all played together. NSW beat Victoria in a huge upset.
The NSW football community is mourning the passing of one of its own, Neale Daniher.
Neale will be accorded a State Funeral Service at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from 12.00pm AEST on Wednesday, 10 June. He passed away on May 25, 2026 after a courageous and brave thirteen-year struggle with motor-neurone disease (MND).
The state funeral follows a significant public tribute held during the King’s Birthday AFL match between traditional rivals Melbourne and Collingwood on Monday (June 8) at the MCG, now known as the Big Freeze, which Daniher initiated to raise funds for MND research.
His life after football was marked by his courage and selflessness. Neale co-founded FightMND, raising over $117 million for research into the insidious disease. He was named Australian of the Year in 2025, and his advocacy has inspired a nation to support those affected by MND.
However, followers of football in NSW will fondly remember his achievements in the game playing for his State and for his home club, Ungarie, in the Northern Riverina Football League.
He played in Ungarie’s 1978 premiership team while still at boarding school at Assumption College Kilmore where he excelled in football, cricket and athletics.
Neale went to Essendon in 1979 and was so outstanding that he was named the VFL Recruit of the Year, the modern equivalent of the AFL Rising Star Award. He won the Bombers’ best and fairest in 1981 and was apported captain for the 1982 season but never led the side due to a debilitating knee injury which restricted him to just 82 games before he retired in 1990.
He was appointed coach of Melbourne in 1998 and coached the Demons until 2008 including the Grand Final in 2000, which they lost to Essendon.
One of the highlights of his career was playing with his brothers, Terry, Anthony and Chris for NSW for the first time in a stunning State of Origin victory over Victoria by 10 points at the SCG in 1990.
Former Swans coach John Longmire playing for North Melbourne at that time roomed with Neale and recalls the celebrations with the four brothers, five sisters as well as Jim and Edna.
“Horse” particularly remembers the enormous pride Jim had in the victory; as a bush champion at Ungarie he had resisted attempts to try-out in the VFL and was a long-term league official who worked tirelessly to develop the game in his region.
I recall seating next to Neale at the team dinner for players and officials at the Camperdown Travelodge where the team was accommodated. He told me how excited he was to be playing with his brothers and for his home State. And how much he wanted to “stick it up the Vics!”.
The state funeral will honour both his personal achievements and his enduring contributions to the community.