“Passion might ignite the flame, but purpose keeps it burning… Where the spirit is willing, you’ll find a thousand ways; where there is no spirit, you’ll find a thousand excuses. Everything that is important in life is connected to someone else… One finger can’t lift a pebble.” – Neale Daniher (When All is Said and Done)

IT’S been a strange couple of days, days spent by and large processing and reflecting upon not just the passing, but the life and legacy, of our larger-than-life former coach, MND campaigner, and now national icon – Neale Daniher.

I remember having once heard the notion: “While we live only once, we in fact die twice; the first time is our actual physical passing, but the second passing is the ‘ultimate’ of passings, because that’s when no one makes any reference to us any longer.” And with regards to the second ‘subtraction’, I think there’s absolutely no chance whatsoever that Neale ‘The Reverend’ Daniher will ever pass on, albeit out of the public’s conscience because of the tireless life of service and selfless commitment that he chose to live.

For most Melbourne supporters, Neale came to our attention as the newly appointed 36-year-old coach of our team in September 1997, a season we finished peerlessly last – that being four full games adrift of the second last placed team ‘above us’ at that time.

Fast forward 12-months, and we had made a Preliminary final (losing gallantly to the previous year’s premier – North, by 30 points). It was the biggest leap up the ladder in the game’s history, one that was predominantly driven by the focus and tunnel-vision ferocity of a coach that didn’t just dare to dream, but lived in such a way that no dream was ever too outlandish, or beyond the realisation of anyone thereby committed to realising such dreams.

While history also records our Melbourne Demons as making the grand final two years later in season 2000, and Neale Daniher as going on to become the third most prolific coach of the club (233 games for 108 wins) behind only Norm Smith, and ‘Checker’ Hughes; it is a headline from earlier this week in the Herald Sun that somehow encapsulates where the Reverend will always reside in the hearts and minds of the Melbourne faithful: “A leader who coached us all.”

And coached us all he did, in so many ways: through his words and actions, but more-so through the sublime, seamless coordination and ‘living out’ of words through action. And if anything, they combined to distinctly disprove his own much-peddled mantra: “When all is said and done, more is said than done.”

I had only one direct ‘unexpected’ dealing with Neale in his time as coach of Melbourne. In 2003, I wrote him a letter of encouragement and support after he was copping serve after serve in the media during one of our ‘trough’ seasons. If you recall, we had a strange performance pattern at that time where we’d make a finals campaign one year, then drop down the ladder the next.

Knowing that Neale appreciated the thoughts of history’s finest minds, I ended my above said letter with a quote by Seneca: “There is an old adage about gladiators, that they plan their fight in the ring.” I couldn’t have imagined that this would so fittingly surmise his future legacy, but he wrote me back some months later with a letter so thoughtfully candid and personal that I’ll treasure it forever.

But when it comes to words, none reflect the connection, inspiration, love and loyalty the Reverend was able to command from people than those of his deputy, and ultimate on-field chess piece – David Neitz. Heartfully, our all-time red and blue games and goals record holder wrote on all our behalf:
“Thank you, Neale!

What a brilliant game you played. Full of resilience, courage, and unwavering commitment! You’ve come from an army of Daniher’s, galvanised a nation, and built an even bigger army!! At the heart of that is your own family – along with a few dilapidated old demons who are blessed to have had you in their lives. The siren has sounded too soon… but you gave your all, and it’s time to rest up.

We’re going to miss you coach!”