Joe Daniher reminded the entire football world that he’s still around and still has plenty to offer.
Daniher played his first game since Round 9 last year when he kicked three goals (from six shots) and took 10 marks in an impressive showing as Essendon came from six goals down to beat Hawthorn by 16 points at the Adelaide Oval yesterday.
The successful return has sparked debate on whether or not the 26-year-old will end up staying with the Bombers or move elsewhere, with Sydney the club most interested stemming from last year’s trade period.
Garry Lyon and Tim Watson discussed the scenario on SEN Breakfast this morning.
Lyon said: “My question to you is: You wake up this morning, you’re Adrian Dodoro and Xavier (Campbell) and everyone else at Essendon, what’s your pitch going to be to Joe Daniher and when do you make it?
“I know they’ve been in discussions with him and all that stuff but after last night…
“The company line will be, ‘We’ve had ongoing discussions with Joe’. That’s alright, but last night changes things whether they like it or not.
“It’s going to go into meltdown and frenzy. Maybe three other clubs will enter in, I don’t know, but what’s your advice?
“What do you pitch and when do you start the pitch? Do you strike while the iron’s hot?”
Former Bombers skipper Watson believes it’s not necessarily about a pitch to convince him to stay but rather being sympathetic to his situation.
“It’s not about a pitch and I don’t think it’s ever been about the club so much as it’s been about his desire to get out of the (Melbourne) bubble,” Watson said.
“The most possibly promising thing for Essendon to keep him is the fact that he moved out of Melbourne and he’s been living just out of Melbourne in a country place. I think that he loves that lifestyle.
“If you’re Essendon you’re hoping that in doing what he’s done has given him some sense of, ‘Ok, I can still play football, I can live out here, I can enjoy life and still be out of the bubble, I don’t need to shift interstate’.
“I think the other thing is just the relationships you continue to keep internally.”
Lyon asked: “I know it’s only one game but why now would he want to go?”
To which Watson replied: “For the same reason that he wanted to go last year.
“Some players don’t like the focus. When you are Joe Daniher and you are six foot eight for seven, everybody notices you. Some people like that, others like to be invisible and just go around and live a normal life and play a high profile sport.
“When it’s that as a question, that makes it a more difficult scenario to try and avert when you’re Essendon. How do you give him what he wants if it’s anonymity and still maintain him as a player on your list? It’s difficult.”
Lyon further suggested that despite it being just one good performance, there is no hiding away from the fact that a display like that will excite people at the Dons.
“Last night moved the needle. Whether you like it or not,” he added.
“Whether you’re one of those people that say, ‘Let’s just wait and see him get through three more games’, and that sort of stuff. I agree with all that and I think there’s absolute merit in what you’re saying
“But last night moved the needle. The way he played…”
Watson also indicated that Daniher, as of right now, has not specified to the club where he would like to play in 2021.
“Reports that he’s told the players he wants to stay, from what I’ve been told that’s not necessarily the case yet,” he said further.
“They would love to think that that’s the case but they haven’t reached that point yet.”
Providing further intrigue on the situation, Daniher himself said on Fox Footy after the win over the Hawks: “Hopefully I can continue to play out this year and keep moving forward with this footy club.”
Let the Daniher talk rumble on.
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