AFL Daily: Joe Daniher says he's comfortable with contract situation, rolling footy news for Tuesday September 3, 2019
Essendon forward Joe Daniher says Bomber fans have 'no reason' to be nervous about his future and he's not bothered by continued speculation linking him with a move to Sydney.
Star Essendon forward Joe Daniher says Essendon fans had “no reason” to be nervous about his future.
“Obviously there’s a lot in the media, which I’m not privy to because I don’t spend a lot of time reading newspapers or watching TV,” Daniher told the Herald Sun.
“But I’m comfortable. I’ve made some comments, the football club has made some comments and for me I can just get on with business.
“I can get on with the work I’m working on, and that’s fixing my body at the moment.”
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If Daniher stays at Essendon he will join Brodie Grundy (Collingwood) and Lachie Whitfield (GWS) on next year’s golden list of free agents.
Daniher was unfazed at that prospect, adamant he was capable of blocking out media speculation.
The powerful goalkicker said the Swans were “absolutely a live option” during his junior years, with Sydney and Essendon vying for his signature as a father-son prospect.
“I considered it (Sydney) when I was 15 years old and that feels like a lifetime ago now. I’m now 25 and I’m happy with the process we’re going through now,” he said.
“They (Sydney) are a terrific football club. It also makes it a little bit hard when you’re 15, you’re quite young and trying to see what your life looks like a little bit further down the track.
“I don’t know about you, but I was a very immature 15-year-old trying to make mature decisions.”
Joe Daniher had the perfect opportunity yesterday to categorically say publicly he was a passionate Essendon person and guarantee he'll remain in the red and black. Choosing not to do that only fans the flames of uncertainty and speculation.
— Adam White (@White_Adam) September 3, 2019
Father Anthony Daniher played 115 games for the Swans (1981-86) and 118 for Essendon (1987-94), giving Joe the choice between clubs.
But with older brother Darcy Daniher playing for Essendon, and talk growing that childhood idol James Hird would sign as coach, Joe settled on the Bombers in 2010 and was officially drafted two years later.
Daniher won Essendon’s best-and-fairest and was All-Australian in 2017 but has managed just 11 games since.
He signed a three-year contract worth about $2 million in 2017, which expires next year.
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Daniher is completing cross-training, weights and undergoing frequent physiotherapy in a bid to prepare his body for 2020.
“Obviously I’d like to be further along than I am. I’d like to be back fully training, but it’s been a bit slower,” he said.
"That (targeting the start of pre-season) is essentially why we made the decision to pull the pin early in the year. I couldn’t continue to risk missing pre-seasons and into next year.
“The long-term view was that would be too costly for myself. Hopefully that gives me the best chance of a positive, uninterrupted next year.”
Daniher will host injured teammates Devon Smith, Irving Mosquito, Sam Draper, Kobe Mutch and Noah Gown at his house on Thursday night to watch Essendon's elimination final against West Coast.
The Thursday timeslot ruled Daniher out of travelling west because it would’ve “mucked up” his rehabilitation schedule.
Daniher, 25, declared he was working overtime to get his body right for day one at pre-season at Tullamarine after weeks of speculation he could be offloaded in a blockbuster trade.
Daniher sported pink nail polish at yesterday’s Kayo launch, in support of Polished Man, a charity which raises funds to end violence against children.
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Originally published as AFL Daily: Joe Daniher says he's comfortable with contract situation, rolling footy news for Tuesday September 3, 2019