Football icon Neale Daniher has died after a public and inspirational fight with motor neurone disease that lasted more than a decade.

Daniher died in Melbourne on Monday. He was 65.

Daniher was diagnosed with MND in 2013 and made his plight public the following year. That began an extraordinary period where he publicly and bravely led the nation in a fundraising and awareness campaign to Fight MND.

More than $100 million has been raised thanks to The Big Freeze, as fans donned beanies every year and celebrities slid into an ice filled pool at the MCG during the Kings Birthday holiday game between Melbourne and Collingwood.

Daniher was named Australian of the Year in 2025 and footy fans were endeared to Daniher’s courage while closely following the changes to his health, voice and mobility as they were taken away from him.

Doctors didn’t expect Daniher to live for more than three years after his diagnosis. But his fighting spirit stood out and he shattered those expectations.

“We’re heartbroken to share that our much-loved husband, Dad and Poppy, Neale Daniher, passed away at home, surrounded by his family,” the Daniher family said in a statement.

“From day one, Neale was a fighter. His determination was unmatched — choosing every day to find opportunity where others might see only challenge, and taking the fight to the beast with everything he had.

“Even in the toughest times, he kept pushing forward, determined to land as many blows as he could against his toughest opponent, all with a cheeky grin and a sharp sense of humour that never left him.”

He was an incredibly talented player, won a best-and-fairest at Essendon and captained the club. But a series of knee reconstructions meant he played only 82 games.

That tally included a historic match against St Kilda in 1990 where he joined his three brothers Terry, Anthony and Chris in the Bombers’ line-up.

Daniher then moved into coaching. He worked as an assistant at Essendon and was part of the team that won the 1993 flag.

Daniher then moved to Western Australia to help Fremantle for their entry into the AFL.

Melbourne quickly recognised his talents and appointed him coach in 1998. He took the Demons from the wooden spoon to a preliminary final in his first season and then to the grand final in 2000.

Daniher coached Melbourne for 223 games and later joined West Coast as the club’s general manager of football operations.