By Peter Ryan and Jake Niall
The Brisbane Lions are confident they will know how premiership forward Joe Daniher feels about playing on in 2025 before the AFL trade period begins next Monday after speculation about his future arose ahead of the grand final.
However, they are not considering imposing any deadline on the star goalkicker, who remains in contract for next season, as the Lions believe Daniher will discuss his future with the club at the right time if such a conversation is necessary.
Joe Daniher hugs his teammates after the club’s stunning grand final win on Saturday. Credit: via Getty Images
The 30-year-old has not spoken publicly since the premiership win and has been enjoying flag celebrations with his teammates and staff since the Lions defeated Sydney by 60 points in Saturday’s grand final.
Daniher has been a brilliant performer for the Lions since joining the club as a restricted free agent in 2021, kicking 204 goals in 96 games.
He has also proved outstanding in finals and was instrumental in the club’s semi-final victory against the Giants with two matchwinning goals late in the final quarter to give the Lions the lead. He played two superb grand finals and has kicked 18 goals in the club’s past seven finals.
The club is keen for him to play on and two industry sources who chose to remain anonymous to speak freely about the issue said Daniher is held in such high esteem at the Lions as both a footballer and a person the club believes any questions will be answered in time without any angst.
The Lions forward is held in high esteem at the club by both teammates and staffCredit: The Age
The Lions are not expected to have a busy trade period with Deven Robertson a chance to consider his options after rebuffing interest from West Coast last year to re-sign with the club, although he has given no indication he wants to leave, and Jaxon Prior expected to attract some interest after failing to cement a spot in 2024.
Brisbane’s priority will be acquiring enough draft selections to have the required points to match expected bids on father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft, the younger brother of Norm Smith medal winner, Will Ashcroft, and Lions’ academy graduate Sam Marshall who was best on ground in the Coates Talent League grand final.
If Daniher wanted to finish up, the club would expect to restructure their forwardline knowing that any attempt to obtain a replacement in the upcoming trade period would be unrealistic.
Daniher’s father, former Sydney and Essendon player Anthony Daniher, told RSN on Monday he expected his son to play on, but it would be left to him to work out what was best for him and his family.
“It will play out. Joe will work out what he is going to do. He still has another year on his contract. It has come out of left field. We will just let that one play out and see what unfolds. Nothing has come across our desk around that,” Daniher said.
Daniher, the father of two, resides in the northern NSW town Ocean Shores with the club’s training centre at Springfield two hours away.
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