Joe Daniher retirement looms as Brisbane Lions star weighs up future after AFL grand final

Speculation is mounting that Brisbane Lions star Joe Daniher is considering his AFL future after Saturday’s grand final against the Sydney Swans.

7NEWS Melbourne’s Mitch Cleary understands the 30-year-old has spoken to those close to him in recent weeks about whether he will play on in 2025.

A father-son product who had the choice to play for Sydney or Essendon, Daniher picked the Bombers and played 108 games for the Victorian club before arriving at the Lions ahead of the 2021 season.

One year earlier a bid to join the Swans fell over at the trade deadline. His father Anthony’s career was split between Sydney and the Bombers.

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The junior Daniher battled injury in his last three years at Essendon, making just 15 appearances in that time, but has been an ever-present for Brisbane while enjoying a unique situation off the field.

He lives two hours south of the Queensland capital in the small northern New South Wales town of Ocean Shores.

“Daniher is contracted for next year but those at the club have made no secret in the past as to how much he enjoys living his life in the northern NSW beaches,” Cleary said.

Daniher, who has two children with his partner Adelle, last re-signed with the Lions in 2022.

He has kicked 202 goals in 95 games for Brisbane — including four in the stunning come-from-behind win over GWS in the semi-final two weeks ago.

After that match Lions coach Chris Fagan named Daniher alongside his 35-year-old teammate Dayne Zorko as players desperate to win a flag before retiring.

“I know they’re desperate to get back there and have another crack,” he said, when asked about last year’s grand final defeat motivating his players.

“There is still a long way to go before we can do that. We play Geelong next week, a pretty damn good football club and side, who gave us a lesson in a preliminary final a couple of years ago.

“But I’ve got no doubt that drives them.

“I look at Dayne Zorko and it drives him, you know he’s 35. He doesn’t know how many years he’s got left to play the game and he desperately wants to win one.

“I think that drove the group. Joey Daniher is the same. The guys in our team that are a little older, they lifted in that last quarter.”

Daniher kicked three goals in the loss to Collingwood last year.

The left-footer again looms as their most important forward for the grand final.

And he will hope to settle inside the forward 50 after being called upon to ruck when Oscar McInerney went down injured in last Saturday’s preliminary final.