‘Gave my absolute all’: Premiership Lion confirms bombshell career call before awards night

Premiership forward Joe Daniher has called time on his illustrious career, with Brisbane officially confirming his decision on Thursday afternoon.

Reports first emerged of Daniher’s doubts beyond 2024 on the eve of the grand final, indicating the real possibility that the 2024 grand final would be his 204th and final match.

And after a spectacular 10-goal win over Sydney that delivered Daniher his first flag at the top level, the 30-year-old has stepped away from the game for good at age 30.

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While an eventual discussion between Daniher and Brisbane was expected soon after Saturday’s victory, a decision on his future has been made after the Lions probed the 2017 All-Australian forward for a decision.

“The Lions will speak with Joe Daniher today ahead of their best and fairest to get more of a sense on his decision,” AFL Media’s Cal Twomey said earlier on Thursday.

“I retire knowing I gave my absolute all to the Brisbane Lions and Essendon, and I am extremely proud of what I achieved individually and as a team,” Daniher said in a club statement on Thursday.

“I am tremendously grateful for the opportunities given to me by both Brisbane and Essendon and I want to thank both clubs and their incredible fans for their support.

“It’s been an incredible journey here at the Brisbane Lions to go from a club that was really struggling at the bottom of the ladder to winning a premiership.

“As I finish up my career, I do so with the club in a great position on and off the field and I can’t wait to see the Brisbane Lions experience more success in the future.

“I am beyond excited by the squad we have at the Lions and especially the young talent we have coming through that are the future stars of this club.

“I want to thank everyone that has played a part in my AFL career and helping me become the player and person I am today.”

“Joe is a generational type of player that will go down as one of the best forwards to have played AFL,” Lions football boss Danny Daly said in the statement.

“We are extremely privileged that he played for the Brisbane Lions because he was a huge key to us experiencing the success we have and winning the premiership.

“What I love about Joey is that he has done it his way his whole career and in doing so has become a much-loved cult figure of our club and the AFL.

“We are sad to see him hang up the boots and call time on his career, but he does so with the full blessing of everyone at the Brisbane Lions.

“On behalf of the club I would like to thank Joe, his wonderful wife Adele and their families for all they have given to the Brisbane Lions and wish them all the best.”

Originally drafted as an Essendon father-son with pick 10 in the 2012 draft, Daniher played 108 games for the Bombers before moving to Brisbane at the end of 2020.

Across his 204 games at the top level, he kicked 395 goals — winning the leading goalkicker award four times at Essendon and twice at the Lions.

Daniher finished his career with a stellar finals series, including kicking the final goal in Brisbane’s 60-point grand final thrashing of Sydney.