Joe Daniher seemingly in no rush to announce whether he will retire after AFL premiership win

Joe Daniher’s player agent says if the Brisbane Lions star does retire, it will be at the “peak of his powers”.

Joe Daniher (right) celebrates Brisbane’s grand final win with teammates Harris Andrews (left) and Lachie Neale. Picture: David Caird

Joe Daniher’s player manager Adam Ramanauskas has urged his star client to shelve any retirement plans as the wait continues for the premiership-winning Brisbane Lions forward to make a call on his future.

However, while uncertainty remains about Daniher’s plans, the Lions have confirmed that co-captain Lachie Neale won’t need surgery on his injured foot and will “progress to full training” when the team returns from its Christmas break.

Whether Daniher will be joining Neale on the training paddock is still not known.

Speculation that the former Essendon star was going to retire after last Saturday’s grand final first emerged last week, but Ramanauskas said an announcement might not be made until next week.

“Joe will make his mind up on what he wants to do,” Ramanauskas told the RSN Breakfast show on Wednesday.

“Joe beats to his own drum. He’s always done that.

“I hope he plays on. I want him to continue to play because he’s certainly at the peak of his powers.

“There are not many key forwards who have played as well as he has over a finals (series) over recent years.”

Jubilant Lions players congratulate Joe Daniher after his final-quarter goal in Brisbane’s 60-point win over Sydney at the MCG. Picture: Adam Trafford/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Daniher, 30, was crucial in Brisbane’s brilliant finals series, capping it all off with the Lions’ final goal in their 60-point thrashing of the Sydney Swans in the decider at the MCG.

“Key forwards tend to struggle in finals but with Joe, the bigger the occasion, the better he plays,” Ramanauskas said.

“Brisbane want him to play on, his teammates want him to play on.

“Joe is clearly celebrating heavily at the moment. He’s barely got out of his football shorts, boots and jumper since the game.

“It will play out over the next period of time. It might be in the next couple of days, it might be in the next week.

“Your guess is as good as mine. Joe will ring me and say ‘this is what I’m doing’.”

Meanwhile, the Lions will take a “conservative approach” with Neale’s recovery from a torn plantar fascia in his foot.

The recovery will include four to six weeks of non-weight bearing and wearing a moon boot.

Neale’s progress will then be reviewed, with the Lions hopeful that the two-time Brownlow medallist will be running in six-to-eight weeks before stepping up to full training after Christmas.

Originally published as Joe Daniher seemingly in no rush to announce whether he will retire after AFL premiership win