Neale Daniher celebrates Melbourne’s premiership from home after missing AFL Grand Final 2021

The inspirational Neale Daniher has soaked up Melbourne’s premiership victory from home in Victoria after missing out on attending the AFL Grand Final in Perth.

Daniher led the Demons to the 2000 grand final during a 10-year stint as coach, and has reconnected with the club during his battle with motor neurone disease.

On Saturday night he shared a photo celebrating the moment Melbourne lifted the cup together: “Back of the bus baby! All Melbourne supporters rejoice.”

Daniher struggles to speak and made no public appearances ahead of the grand final, but a letter written to the Demons faithful was published on Friday.

He told the story that was first used as motivation in 1998, his first season as Melbourne coach, after they had lost consecutive games.

When Daniher played for NSW country team Ungarie in the 1970s, there was a clear pecking order on the bus as they travelled to representative games.

“The very back bench seat was for those seen to have earned the right. The boys at the back of the bus were at the top of the heap,” he wrote.

He said Melbourne were now one step away from earning the right to sit at the back of the bus.

“Yes, we all know that final small step is the hardest, but we all believe on Saturday, the team is capable of earning the right to take up their back seat,” he said.

“And when that happens, we will laud the ‘doer of those deeds’ and, by association, us supporters will feel that we, too, can take our place at the back of the bus, wherever we may be.

“I’ve been told by those who have been there recently that the view is even more spectacular than I remember as a young kid from Ungarie.

“But first we must earn the right.”

In the moments after the final siren on Saturday night, Melbourne skipper Max Gawn paid tribute to Daniher alongside those who have been lost in recent years, including Jim Stynes, Dean Bailey, Troy Broadbridge and Colin Sylvia.

“The list goes on,” Gawn told Channel 7 about the fallen Melbourne greats.

“What Neale Daniher is going through at the moment, these guys are the real heroes, we are just out here and trying to play our role.”

Gawn later revealed he used a popular Daniher quote in his pre-game speech.

“Daniher’s going through one almighty fight with MND,” he said.

“His poster was actually up on our walls before the game. He’s got a big quote that ‘you can talk as much as you want, but it’s about doing’.

“That was my captain’s speech before the game, I quoted Neale’s famous comment. He lives with us. He’s still going strong. It’s a shame he wasn’t here tonight.”

- with AAP