How Neale Daniher is taking MND message to regional towns to thank people for their support

BRAVE Neale Daniher’s fight against MND is set to drive Melbourne’s finals campaign, with the footy great getting on the road himself to seek support for his charity.

NEALE Daniher’s inspirational crusade against a killer disease will be a driving force behind Melbourne’s first run into the AFL finals in 12 years.

Daniher — the last coach to lead the Dees to September action — said seeing the red and blue back in premiership calculations offered him some relief.

“I’m slowing down but I will keep punching,’’ Daniher said.

As he continues to fight, raise awareness, money and seek a cure for MND, Daniher told the Herald Sun he would be delivering no pep talk to the current crop of Demons stars.

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Neil Daniher with former Melbourne players David Neitz, Russell Robertson and Daniel Ward. Picture: David Caird

“I’ve done that,’’ he said. “Last time I spoke to them we lost, so it might be a while before I do it again.’’

But his former captain David Neitz and star forward Russell Robertson said Daniher’s brave fight would serve as a powerful motivational force for Melbourne players.

“How can you not be inspired by who he is and what he does?’’ Neitz said.

“Everyone knows the duress and the amount of pain he would be suffering at the moment but he just comes out with a smile on his face and an absolute desire to do good things to help people.

“He knows he is not going to help himself but he is going to help as many people as he can along the way.’’

Daniher preferred to let Melbourne players steer their own course through September but said they had brought him joy like all long-suffering Demons fans just qualifying for the finals.

“I’m rapt,’’ he said. “They go in with good form and they’re a chance. It’s great.’’

It comes as Daniher’s Drive is on Thursday launched to take his message to the masses, this year visiting South Australia for the first time as well as country Victoria.

More than 100 teams will travel rural Australia spreading awareness of the FightMND cause over four days, departing Government House in Melbourne on October 11.

The Daniher’s Drive convoy will take in parts of Central Victoria, South Australia and the Bellarine Peninsula, stopping overnight in Horsham, Mt Gambier and Geelong.

“There are a lot of people in the country affected by MND so we want to go out and meet them and thank all the communities out there that have supported our cause,’’ Daniher said.

Neitz described Daniher as “a genuine hero’’.

“I’m sure that the players have got their own personal motivations but certainly part of Neale’s story will be in their minds somewhere,’’ he said.

Robertson said Melbourne players would struggle to find a better source of inspiration.

“We all complain about the weather and the roads and here is this bloke who is on his way somewhere and he just wants to have some fun,’’ he said.

“It’s a good reminder to us all.’’

A luxury Lexus car worth $50,000 will be raffled to raise funds for Daniher’s Drive.

Go to www.fightmnd.org.au for more information.

@rolfep