If Thursday night’s Elimination Final against Richmond wasn’t already a big enough occasion for the Brisbane Lions, it’s even bigger for Joe Daniher and Oscar McInerney.
The pair will play their 150th AFL game and 100th club game respectively in front of an expected sell-out crowd at The Gabba.
When Daniher first signed with the Brisbane Lions everyone knew he could play – you just had to look at his highlights pack or his outstanding resume.
All Australian, Essendon Best and Fairest in 2017, runner-up in 2016, four-time club leading goalkicker and winner of the AFL Mark of the Year.
However, the question on any player changing club is if they will experience the same or similar success at their new home.
Although no one can guarantee that, what Lions forward coach and former captain Jed Adcock did know from day one, was Daniher wasn’t about to rest of his laurels.
“What impressed me the most was that after he battled a few years down south with injury, just how keen he was to get involved and start with the boys as soon as he could,” Adcock recalled.
“I am pretty sure he got an AirBnB up here before he even officially started up here to start training with the boys and to get to know them.”
In his new home state of Queensland, the key forward is out of the media spotlight which he had been under for the first part of his career in the AFL-focussed city of Melbourne.
Working closely with the 28-year-old on an almost daily basis, Adcock has a strong relationship with Daniher as a player and person.
“A quiet guy that likes he own time and space, but at the same time he gives a lot of time to the group and club,” he said.
“He is a very loyal guy that drives standards on the field and has great football knowledge which is fun to pick his brain about.
“He’s extremely easy to work with and really willing to do whatever it takes to help the team.
“As we saw in his first year, he was back up ruck for that year and also tried to adapt to a different way of playing after coming over from Essendon.”
Adcock also knows better than most just how damaging the 201-centrimetre forward can be when in full flight.
Which the Lions forward coach and teammates will be hoping they see on Thursday to keep their 2022 campaign going.
“He’s biggest weapon when he uses his height and jump, quite quick and agile for such a tall man, and can play higher and around the ball with some clean ball use,”
“Joes start to this year was terrific and was playing some his best football of his career, hurt his shoulder against Sydney which kept him out for a bit.”
“When he’s fit, he can be a handful for opposition defenders with the ability to get them in the air or ground playing higher up the ground or deeper, a very tough combo to stop.”
McInerney, in game 100 for the club, is another player who will be vital for the Lions in Thursday’s Elimination Final, but don’t expect him to tell you that.
The 28-year-old’s story is one to admire, going from playing in the Casey Demons VFL development team to the Lions rookie list in 2016.
The next year he was a NEAFL premiership player and reserves best and fairest winner. Fast-forward to now and he is the starting ruckman for the Lions in the AFL.
“He is a shy and humble human who constantly undersells his value to the team, but he certainly has the respect of the players and staff,” Brisbane ruck and stoppage coach Ben Hudson explained.
“He came here probably thinking he’d last a couple of years on the rookie list and now he has built himself up and is an integral part of our side.
“He started late as a mature age player and grown into that with the amount of time he has spent in that number one ruck role playing against the best ruckman in the league.
“That’s come off the back of his work rate and desire to improve and his effort and intensity around the contest are as good as anyone.”
When talking to his line coach about him, it was easy to see the love and admiration Hudson had for McInerney.
As a player who doesn’t mind sneaking inside the 50-metre arc and kicking a goal, Hudson referred to the 28-year-old as a ‘forward stuck in a ruckman’s body’.
“He also goes against being the stereotypical ruckman because I believe he is a qualified accountant also,” the assistant coach joked.
“But those inside these four walls know him as a very funny and humorous man. He runs the player fines and things like that, so he is a very good clubman to have.”
