Dylan Shiel wants Joe Daniher to stay with Essendon
Joe Daniher helped convince Dylan Shiel to leave GWS and join the Bombers at a meeting at an Elwood cafe a year ago. Now Shiel says he’d be happy to return the favour.
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Eleven months ago Joe Daniher was one of five Essendon players who made a pitch to then GWS star Dylan Shiel at an Elwood cafe.
Now Shiel has offered to return the favour to keep Daniher at Tullamarine.
The coffee with Essendon’s stars ultimately proved more persuasive than Carlton’s bid to lure Shiel with a flight to Noosa on a private jet.
Daniher has battled injuries for the past two seasons and is weighing up his future, and a possible move to Sydney. But Shiel says he wants to keep together the group he decided to join at the end of last season.
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“Joe, as the club has stated, is taking some time to think about where he wants to be with his footy,” Shiel said on RSN radio.
“I’m hoping that he wants to remain at the club because when he plays he’s one of the best players in the competition, and we certainly see a future with him at the club.
“Personally, I came to the Bombers because of guys like Joe and wanting to play with him long-term.
“Not that I think Joe’s the type of guy that listens to sports radio but Joe, if you’re listening, if you want to get a coffee at that cafe in Elwood I’ll be there in a heartbeat.”
Shiel said he had sympathy for Daniher’s injury struggles.
“He’s had a pretty rough couple of years and the external people at the footy club probably don’t get to see him every day and what he’s been going through with his body.
“It’s a pretty hard way to go about your career.”
Daniher’s future with the club remains unclear as the Bombers continue to give him space to consider his options for 2020 and beyond.
Entering the final year of his contract next year, Daniher has not been offered an extension by Essendon and had a well-publicised meeting with Sydney chief executive Tom Harley last month which raised eyebrows.
Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell said he was not aware of interest in Daniher from Sydney but the club was understanding of Daniher’s “challenges”.
The 25-year-old has played just 11 games over the past two years due to groin issues, since a career-best 2017 season which delivered 65 goals.
“We trust Joe about the rationale and the time he’s taking at the moment to understand where he sits on things,” Campbell said.
“We want to give him the space because we’re a club that wants to support their players to be themselves.
“Joe knows that we really value what he does. He knows that we know how difficult that period has been for him and we would love to have him playing next year. I probably expect him to be playing at Essendon next year, but we’re just going through a process now. We’ll have another discussion with Joe next week.”
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Bombers coach John Worsfold said he read nothing into Daniher’s meeting with Harley and he was in constant communication with the forward as he continues to complete his injury rehabilitation at Tullamarine.
“Joe’s a contracted player. We want him playing at Essendon footy club next year and nothing else has happened,” Worsfold said.
“It’s the end of the footy season so, like every player, you’ve got to weigh up where you’re at.”
Teammate Zach Merrett said last week Daniher had to “make his mind up himself” about his future.
“I think he’s made it pretty clear that he’s going to have a bit of time away and decide what he wants to do with his footy going forward,” Merrett said.
“So the club’s fully supportive of Joe and whatever he does and I hope that he’s hopefully at Essendon next year.”
Daniher has kicked 188 goals from 104 games across a seven-season AFL career.