Joe Daniher would have retired from the AFL 12 months ago if Brisbane won last year’s grand final against Collingwood.
At just 30 years of age and arguably in the prime of his decorated career, Daniher on Thursday announced he would leave the game with one year left on a lucrative contract at the Lions.
Brisbane had been keen to extend Daniher beyond next year, but instead he has chosen to bow out of the AFL with a premiership in his final game.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today 
And without him, the Lions almost certainly wouldn’t have got there. Daniher was particularly instrumental in the Lions’ semi-final win over Greater Western Sydney, kicking the clutch final two goals of the game to lift his side to victory after conceding a 44-point deficit.
But he wouldn’t have been involved in any of that if the Lions had have edged the Magpies in last year’s epic decider.
Daniher was Brisbane’s best player in that game but it wasn’t enough as his side fell agonisingly short of the 2023 flag, losing by just four points.
Speaking at Thursday night’s club champion, Lions coach Chris Fagan revealed that Daniher had intended to retire after that game, had they won.
“I’ll just tell you a little story before he comes up and says a few words,” Fagan said of the star forward.
“Last year after the grand final, Joey gave me a call and said, ‘Can we have a meeting?’ So I caught up with him.
“And he said to me, ‘You know, if we had have won this week, I was going to retire’.
“I thought, ‘Geez, I hope he’s not going to retire’.
“But he said, ‘But I’m going to play for one more year, and I hope we can win a premiership’. I’m so pleased that that’s happened, Joey, that you’ve got to go out on the back of winning a premiership.”
Daniher has thrilled, frustrated and never ceased to amaze Lions fans during his four years at the club since crossing from Essendon.
But despite his tag as an enigmatic key forward — which he is at times — the left-footer has become one of the most consistent big men in the competition, particularly in big games.
“You’ve given us so many wonderful moments and crazy moments and head-scratching moments, and all those moments, but we’ll never forget you, mate, you’ve been so good for our footy club,” Fagan said.
“I’d just like you to come up now and say a few words before we don’t hear from you again.”
A notoriously private person who shies away from any spotlight, media or attention at all costs, Daniher couldn’t help but crack a gag when he got to the lectern to speak in front of about 1000 present in the room on Thursday night.
“It’s nice to finally get the mic. I’m always chomping at the bit for a bit of media — it just never seems to fall my way,” he joked with a laugh, before going on with more sincerity.
“I’ll be quick. Obviously all the thankyous I’ll give to those close to me and close to the footy club, and I’ll do that personally as the dust settles.
“But there are just two groups that I’d really like to thank.
“The first one is the Essendon Football Club and, more specifically, the Essendon supporters. It’s been a challenging period of time for that football club but, as a player, I always felt supported by the fans, and for that I’m very grateful.
“And to the Brisbane Lions, the Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears supporters, thank you so much for embracing me, letting me come here and have a kick, and stuff up a bit on the field, and get another kick and stuff it up again and keep trying.
“But no, we got there in the end. To go out and get a premiership is what this club deserves, what so many people in this room deserve, and I’m very happy to be a small part of it.”
Speculation around Daniher’s possible impending retirement first started circulating in public — having done so in private for some time — on Friday last week, a day before the grand final.
When Daniher kicked the last goal of the game with his final kick, Lions players from all over the ground mobbed him in celebration, and the usually subdued performer allowed himself an uncharacteristically emphatic celebration after kicking it.
Speaking after the game last Saturday, Fagan said he knew nothing about a possible retirement from Daniher.
“Someone mentioned that to me when I got interviewed just after the game,” he said.
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it, so I’m not going to comment on that.
”I don’t know whether there’s any truth in it or not.
”I guess if there is you’ll all find out at some point in time, but I certainly don’t know anything about it at the moment.”