Professional rules football player Joe Daniher comes from a family with many athletes who made it into the Australian Football League. He is the nephew of the former Essendon player Neale Daniher.
Joe’s dad, Anthony, is a former Essendon fullback who spent over a decade playing in the AFL.
Although they could not see their dad play, Joe and his brother grew up observing the game closely since they were kids.
Moreover, his two other uncles, Terry and Chris, were also professional rules football players.
Joe Daniher is an Australian rules football player who plays as a forward for the Brisbane Lions of the AFL.
Born and brought up in Melbourne, Daniher is an Australian Institute of Sport’s AFL Academy graduate. Before his league debut, Joe played for the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup.
He was drafted as the tenth overall pick in the 2012 national draft and eight seasons for the Essendon, his favorite childhood club, before joining the Lions.
Joe is one of the most successful contemporary forwards in the AFL, with over 330 goals in just 175 matches.
For his performances throughout his career, he has won several accolades, including the Crichton Medal and Anzac Medal. However, he has not won any premiership title yet.
Joe Daniher’s Family: Is He Related To Neale Daniher?
Joe Daniher was born to his parents, Anthony and Charlene Daniher, on March 4, 1994, in Melbourne, Australia. He also has an older brother, Darcy, who briefly played for Essendon in the AFL.
Daniher is related to the former AFL player Neale Daniher through his dad, Anthony. Neale is Anthony’s older brother, thus making Joe his nephew.
Joe’s dad, Anthony, was the fourth child of the West Wyalong natives, James “Jim” and Edna Daniher. Besides, he had ten siblings, three of whom played for Essendon in the AFL.
Growing up in New South Wales, Anthony started playing rules football, learning from his older brothers.
His oldest brother, Terry, played in the Northern Riverina Football League, which Anthony and the other brothers enjoyed immensely.
They all attended St. Joseph Catholic School in Ungarie for their primary schooling and later played in the NRFL before making it to the AFL.
Following in Terry’s footsteps, Anthony, alongside his other brothers, Chris and Neale, later became professional athletes.
Joe Has A Close Relationship With His Uncles
Joe Daniher, his siblings, and cousins grew up in Melbourne, attending the AFL matches with their whole family.
As a kid, his dad, Anthony, and his older brothers greatly influenced young Joe. Although he did not see them play, they did enough to increase his interest in the game, discussing football with him.
Despite living in different houses, everyone in his family often got together during their kids’ matches.
Because of such frequent family gatherings, Joe got enough chances to become close with his uncles, especially Neale.
Neale has remained his mentor all his life and has often been spotted cheering up for him from the stands.
However, in the recent past, his public appearances have drastically reduced as he suffers from Motor neurone disease.
Nevertheless, Joe believes he would come to support him in the 2023 AFL Grand Final, which is set to happen on September 30. It is a special day for him and his family, and he does not want his favorite uncle to miss out.
Joe said to the media, “He’d better be there! I think we’ll find him a Brisbane scarf. It might be hard work to get it on him, but I think he’ll get there. That’s how close they are!”
