Past Player of the Week - Terry Daniher

[The Speaker]

Terry Daniher

​

DOB: 15/08/1957

Height: 188 cm

Weight: 89 kg

Playing number: 5

Arrived: Traded from South Melbourne for Neville Fields

Debut: Round 1 vs South Melbourne - 851st Essendon player

Games: 294

Goals: 447

Won: Premiership - 1984, 1985
Best and Fairest - 1982
Leigh Matthews Trophy - 1983
AFMA Player of the Year - 1984
All Australian - 1983, 1985 (c), 1988
Essendon Team of the Century
Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee

Departed: Retired at the end of the 1992 season

The first of eleven kids, Terry Daniher was born into a farming family in the Central West of New South Wales. Like most country boys, Daniher played sport from a young age, playing both Australian football and rugby league in his youth. After winning a premiership and best and fairests for Ungarie, Daniher was approached by South Melbourne to play for them. He only lasted two years with impatient Swans, finding it difficult to adjust to city life. At the end of 1977 he was traded to Essendon along with the rights to draft his brother Neale, a move that was to set up Essendon's Daniher dynasty.

Daniher played wherever he was needed. Although he was most renowned as a half forward, Daniher also played full forward, centre half back and full back whenever Sheedy asked him to go there. He quickly made a name for himself as not only a great player (having won the Crichton in 1982), but a great person as well. Friendly, down-to-earth and totally loyal to his teammates, it was hardly a surprise that he was to become captain in 1983, leading his team to back-to-back premierships in 84/85. The awards stopped coming during the next part of his career, but Daniher continued to be one of the best players in a Bombers' side that slipped into mediocrity for a few years.

For most players nearing the end of their career, a twelve game suspension in a Grand Final would see them finish up, but it was not so for Terry Daniher. He came back halfway through 1991, playing the rest of the season, and continued on in 1992, when he finished with another premiership in the reserves. After his retirement, Daniher went home to the Riverina, playing as captain/coach of the Wagga Tigers, winning five premierships and a state championship. He went on to be an assistant at Essendon, Collingwood, St Kilda and Carlton, before starting a property maintenance business with his brother, Anthony.

 

[Doss]

One of our greatest players. Having met him once, a really genuine and down to earth guy too.

Oh yes- I found this on the Tube:

 

[The Speaker]

 

[I Remember Bluey]

He was on Open Mike on Monday, loved it

 

[eth-dog]

Legend of Essendon

 

[ant555]

Super player, one of the most down to earth blokes you would ever meet and played his whole career as a KPP despite being slightly under sized.

 

[Doss]

I'm pretty sure he became captain in 1983 rather than 1984, as an aside.

 

[astrowizzle]

top bloke, hard as nuts and could kick the air out of a footy. Lets not forget how well he can punch too

 

[Vander18]

My idol as a young bloke. Reckless courage, would fly for anything....remember Tim Watson complaining that'd he'd frequently wipe out his own team mates....at training.

 

[yaco55]

TD did the same things second after second,minute after minute,quarter after quarter, match after match and season after season.

Consistency is often under-rated in footy.

 

[The Speaker]

Thanks sij1981

 

[Doss]

I missed the segment with him recently and haven't had a chance to watch it.

What's he up to these days?

 

[Pweter]

This bloke was entering his prime when I started following the Dons, in a team of stars he became a favourite in no time (only Madden surpassed him in my youthful eyes).

I don't have much to add beyond these 2 comments, he was just the ultimate competitor. From all reports, plus all footage I've seen of him, he's just a genuine, salt of the earth bloke too.

My idol as a young bloke. Reckless courage, would fly for anything....remember Tim Watson complaining that'd he'd frequently wipe out his own team mates....at training.

TD did the same things second after second,minute after minute,quarter after quarter, match after match and season after season.

Consistency is often under-rated in footy.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Thanks sij1981

TD - "How you going there Mike"

lolz.

 

[Blind Turn]

Should never have been captain...

Glad he was though.

 

[Doug Tassell]

Still want to know why he left South

 

[Doss]

Still want to know why he left South

My mother is an old South supporter and has a book by Jim Main, written in 1997, that covers their history.

I've read bits and I recall Main saying how livid he was when he left. And that was without the benefit of hindsight.

 

[Maddogm]

well from the sounds of that open mike Souths started shopping him around cos they needed something to trade for the established players they wanted

 

[Coldacre]

love Terry. caught the train to the footy with him about 2 years ago. bloody top bloke.... even shared a stubbie with me!

 

[Pweter]

love Terry. caught the train to the footy with him about 2 years ago. bloody top bloke.... even shared a stubbie with me!

On the train? Wouldn't surprise me if TD did smuggle a couple of brewskies along for the journey.

 

[Stopher]

He bats left-handed. True story.

 

[Coldacre]

On the train? Wouldn't surprise me if TD did smuggle a couple of brewskies along for the journey.

I had a 6-pack of beer in my bag. Van Der Haar was there too. I offered them both one but only Terry said yes.

embarrassing photo here

 

[Blind Turn]

I had a 6-pack of beer in my bag. Van Der Haar was there too. I offered them both one but only Terry said yes.

embarrassing photo here

Photo proves TD was there. Your post proves that VanDer Haar could not have possibly been there.

 

[Coldacre]

Photo proves TD was there. Your post proves that VanDer Haar could not have possibly been there.

haha, he's been on the wagon for a while now. grumpy fellow too.

Still want to know why he left South

I still want to see a photo of him when he was at South. I'm starting to think it's all a sham.

 

[Shane Hird]

Still want to know why he left South

It's all in the book The Danihers...which every Essendon supporter, no matter what age, should read.

I'll look it up later......something like Sth had a couple of tall forwards, Terry was the young gun....Sth needed a mid and were obsessed with getting Fields to their club. So they offered up T.D to us.

One of many absolute golden strokes of luck that we had during that '78 to 82' period when it came to recruits.

Tough, hard country boys that made up a large part of that 84'-85' machine...Terry from Sth...Neagle, Watson, Merrett, Hawker and a few others from the bush....awesome.