Joe Daniher’s father Anthony addresses rumours Brisbane Lions premiership star will retirement from the AFL

If Brisbane Lions star Joe Daniher is contemplating retirement, his father Anthony insists he doesn’t know anything about it.

The key forward is expected to call it quits, aged just 30, from the AFL after playing an integral role in their stunning September run to the flag.

The media-shy Daniher lives in northern NSW, a two-hour drive, one way, from the Lions’ training base at Springfield.

The premiership hero only gave one interview, to the Seven Network on the ground, after Brisbane’s 60-point smashing of Sydney in Saturday’s grand final.

Daniher declined all further media requests in the Lions’ jubilant rooms at the MCG, retreating to a quiet room with his family to reflect as soon as the club belted out the team song.

He was approached multiple times for comment at Brisbane’s family day in Melbourne on Sunday, but preferred to let his teammates do the talking.

When Brisbane play games in Melbourne, Daniher usually stays with his family instead of in the team hotel.

The mystique around Daniher made it almost certain he would not retire immediately after the grand final and overshadow the Lions’ premiership celebrations, as floated in the days before the game.

A more likely outcome would be him quietly stepping away after the Lions’ best-and-fairest this week, and when the trade period commences, to deflect attention.

On Monday, his father Anthony - a former Sydney and Essendon player - said he expected Joe to be at Brisbane next year.

“The words and talk (about Joe’s potential retirement), fascinating,” Anthony told SEN.

“We don’t understand where they’ve come from or how they’ve evolved.

“He’s certainly not spoken to us about it, so if it is it would be news to us.”

“He was just off the chart (after the grand final), he was so, so happy.

“To have some quiet time in the room, he nearly couldn’t talk, his smile was right across his face, he was just beaming with happiness.”

Daniher’s family were shown several times on the television broadcast during the grand final win, beaming with pride.

His second goal was the last of Brisbane’s 18 in the decider, with Daniher giving an uncharacteristic exuberant fist pump to the crowd before being swamped by teammates.

Daniher spearheaded Brisbane to an extraordinary semi-final win against GWS, kicking the final two goals of the game as the Lions stormed home from 44 points down to record the equal second biggest finals comeback in VFL/AFL history.

Although he went goal-less in the Lions’ preliminary final win against Geelong, Daniher played an important role in the ruck after Brisbane’s No.1 big man Oscar McInerney was subbed off with a shoulder injury.

If not for inaccuracy - he kicked 2.4 against the Swans - Daniher would have been in contention for the Norm Smith Medal that was won by young gun Will Ashcroft.

Daniher, who is contracted for next season, would leave a massive hole in Brisbane’s bid to win back-to-back premierships.

But if he does retire, it would be free up a $1 million of salary cap space for the Lions to chase another star, as well as paying to keep premiership heroes who will be certain to attract big offers from rival clubs.

Daniher has played 204 games and kicked 395 goals since debuting for Essendon in 2013.

After playing 108 games for the Bombers, Daniher requested a trade to Brisbane during the 2020 off-season.