Neale Daniher AO lived a life that expanded beyond the bounds of the football field.
He made his first mark on the football field at 17, before going on to play 82 games for the Essendon Football Club from 1970 to 1990.
It was during his time with the Bombers that Neale would face his first test of resilience, with a series of knee injuries that would prematurely end his playing career.
However, his talent and passion for the sport led to him becoming senior coach for the Melbourne Football Club in 1998. His ambitious and dedicated leadership guided the Demons to the 2000 AFL Grand Final and through a ten-year coaching tenure, where he became affectionately known as ‘The Reverend’.
In 2013, Neale was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), or 'The Beast' as he called it.
Determined to help others living with the disease, Neale co-founded FightMND. Together with his family and supporters, FightMND has committed over $141 million to medical research and care, to improve the lives of those living with MND, and to find treatments and ultimately a cure.
Neale was named the Victorian of the Year in 2019 and the Australian of the Year in 2025, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions in leading the fight against MND, inspiring millions of Australians with hope.
In the face of profound adversity, Neale became a beacon of hope and will be remembered for his generosity, humility and courage.
For more information on the State Funeral Service, including time, location or how leave a condolence message, please visit vic.gov.au/Neale-Daniher.
In lieu of flowers, and at the request of the Daniher family, donations may be made to FightMND. To donate, visit fightMND’s website.