Joe Daniher opens up on leaving Essendon and what motivates him at Brisbane

In his most candid interview since joining Brisbane, Joe Daniher reveals why he left Essendon and the ambition at the heart of his move to the Lions.

As Joe Daniher stands patiently posing for photographs with the iconic Brisbane River in the background something curious happens.

A young man stops, staring at the AFL star and Kayo ambassador, not quite sure what to make of the scene in front of him.

Eventually he walks up to the former Essendon full-forward and says: “I don’t know if you’re a footballer or a model … I’d say you’re a model.”

The moment drew a smile from Daniher, perhaps equal parts amused by the model reference and happy with his life outside of the AFL fishbowl in Melbourne.

Today he opens up like never before about his move away from the game’s heartland, leaving Essendon and his hopes for success with the Lions.

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How is life in the Sunshine State so far for you?

It’s really exciting to be up here and I’m settling in well with the Queensland lifestyle, and especially Brisbane. It’s a new experience for me but one I’m really enjoying so far in the initial phase.

What is it about Brisbane that you enjoy?

Brisbane is just such a beautiful city. It’s a slower moving pace than Melbourne, where I’m from. It also allows me to go up and down the coast to some pretty spectacular parts of Australia. The people of Brisbane certainly embrace a more relaxed lifestyle and I’m certainly enjoying that.

Lions recruit Joe Daniher has moved from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne to a more relaxed Brisbane. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Speaking of travelling up and down the coast, what else do you get up to in your downtime?

I’m still helping out with my brewing company in Melbourne, which is ticking over nicely and has been great fun for the past four or five years. Just this week, I’ve also started back at university to study an MBA (Masters of Business Administration). I’ve got a little bit to get through but certainly enjoying the challenge of that and getting stuck into some readings and analysis.

Why an MBA?

It’s always something I’ve wanted to do. Given the AFL environment, you have so many practical skills and things that you learn but in terms of the analytic and academic stuff, that’s something I need to work on.

Apart from having your head in study books while up here, do you plan to frequent the beaches on your days off?

I come from a bush family, a farming family so I’m probably more inclined to that sort of lifestyle but I’ve certainly enjoyed going to the beach and having that accessibility from Brisbane. I’d certainly love to get home to country New South Wales where a lot of my family still are.

Daniher opens up about his move to Brisbane. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Speaking of home, you haven’t left Brisbane since the end of last season. Did it hurt to leave Essendon?

Yeah I had some terrific relationships at the footy club and that’s probably the most difficult part losing those day-to-day relationships but I’m confident the foundations that have been built there will last a lot longer than my football career is going to last. I thoroughly enjoyed playing for the Essendon Football Club for a long period of time and I’ll have lasting friendships that will go a lot longer than my football career.

Why, ultimately, did you decide to leave?

I had to weigh up everything in my football career and in my life at the time. All those factors, which there was a lot of, put them together and the answer for me was to come up to Brisbane and have a change and change the luck of the previous few years. I feel like it’s been the right decision. Intuitively, I knew what it was going to be like and pleasingly, it’s been pretty close to that. I’m certainly enjoying the challenge of a new environment.

Was part of the change to do with the environment and was it tough living in such an intense AFL city as Melbourne?

I really enjoyed growing up in Melbourne and getting the opportunity to play for the Essendon Football Club was something I really wanted to do as a kid. To be able to live out that dream was really exciting. The passion and love for the game that the people in Melbourne and Victoria is something quite special. Moving up to Brisbane, I hope it starts to shift the narrative a little bit that Brisbane and Queensland can become a real AFL state. It’s certainly growing but hopefully it gets to the point where we’re not talking just about Victoria but we can put Queensland in the mix as well.

Ex-Essendon forward Joe Daniher is hoping a new environment will bring a change of luck. Picture: AFL Photos via Getty Images

Did the Daniher name make it harder or easier?

I was very fortunate that my family had a role to play in the Essendon Football Club when I was quite young and that certainly helped my transition into the AFL. I’m very grateful for that opportunity but very understanding that I’m trying to pave my own career and a change of scenery is something that I’ve enjoyed so far. I’m hoping that it continues into the future.

Did you chat to your dad and uncles about leaving?

I’m always in constant communication with my family around what’s going on in my life and ultimately the decisions I end up making. I’m very grateful to be from such a supportive family and to be around people who just wants the best for me. They were very supportive of my decision.

Who was it hardest to tell?

No one really. I didn’t find the situation too challenging. As I said, I’m very lucky that I have a family who really supports me and supports my endeavours. I know I’ll have their support in whatever I do.

You were linked with a move to Sydney in 2019. How close were you to going there?

I just felt like that was the right decision at the time for me. Obviously circumstances change for me and I got to the period where I was a free agent, which is a bit of a new concept in the AFL, but the decision for me (to go to Sydney) had changed and Brisbane felt like the best place for me to be at that time. I had a few conversations with (Lions coach) Chris Fagan and certainly that helped reaffirm that this was the right place for me.

Daniher leads the Bombers off the ground after a loss to Port Adelaide last season. Picture: Getty Images

Speaking of Chris Fagan, were there any coaches or players up here that convinced you to make the move?

From afar you can look at a football club and make your own judgments on where they’ve come from and where they’re going, but until you speak to the people in the four walls you don’t get a true identity of that. I had a couple of good conversations with David Noble, who unfortunately is no longer in Brisbane, but he played a big role in shaping the club over the past number of years now. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to be in the four walls of the club, their plans are a lot clearer now.

Are you confident this club can treat your injury problems?

It’s been a challenging few years to try to get out on the park and do what I love doing, which is playing the game. I’m looking forward to some brighter times on the field. (Lions head of medical services) Peter Blanch was the only one person I knew in Brisbane at the time, given he worked at Essendon a few years ago, and I have a good relationship with Pete. From my point-of-view, I’m feeling good and just happy and grateful to be out on the park and train closer to the way I want to train.

What has changed that has allowed you to get back into form?

I’ve been lucky to work with some incredible people, particularly in the past 12 to 15 months, around my body and getting it into a position where I can compete for a long time. I will make sure I thank those people, but probably at a later date when everything goes to plan but I’m feeling really strong and positive about where that’s all going. I’ve had my fair share of games missed through injury and that’s part and parcel of AFL football. Hopefully there’s some sunshine on the horizon.

Daniher during a Lions training session. Picture: Getty Images

You’ve never appeared to have a set goalkicking routine. Why is that?

I’ve had a reasonably clear goalkicking routine, both physically and mentally, over the last number of years and part of that is training really consistently. When you take the consistency of training away, it can get hard to achieve what you want to achieve. To have been able to get a good block of training in now should hold me in good stead but it’s something I’m always looking to work on.

Now that pre-season is coming to an end and the real season kicks off soon, how has the summer training schedule in Brisbane been like?

It’s been a little bit unique, given last year and the circumstances for most clubs. That in itself has been different. Being in a new environment has been different. I really liked the way it’s flowed. It’s allowed players to get back into match practice pretty soon, which is probably the more enjoyable part of training.

Did you pay particular attention to the Lions in 2020?

I didn’t take a whole heap of interest in the finer parts of Brisbane’s game and their game-style but obviously their trajectory over a longer period is something that I’ve looked at a little bit closer. You put that with the combination of some really young, exciting talent is a really exciting prospect. There is still an incredible amount of work to do, but where the club has come from over the last few years is really positive.

Do you believe this club can go one step further in 2021?

Yeah, that’s always the goal isn’t it, to continually improve year on year but unfortunately in the game of AFL, anything you’ve done before doesn’t guarantee anything that’s coming. Every team in the AFL is going to be getting better. For us, it’s important that we improve on the things that make the Brisbane Lions a good football club.

What are you most looking forward to as a Lion in 2021?

Just being able to work really hard with a group of guys is something really special. It’s the reason I get out of bed and train as hard as I can. It’s a really positive environment to be doing that so I’m really excited about what the season will hold.