Neale Daniher funeral live updates: MCG crowd gathers for AFL legend to pay tribute to FightMND campaigner

The doors have just opened to the MCG where thousands of people have gathered to say farewell to the great Neale Daniher, AO, who passed away late last month after a 13-year battle with “The Beast” that is motor neurone disease.

I’m Bridget McArthur, a sports affairs reporter with The Age. I’ll be sharing some of the highlights of the funeral service as it progresses.

Proceedings begin at 1pm, expected finish around 2.30pm. There are still tickets available on Ticketek but you’d want to get there quick stat as organisers want bums in seats by 12.45pm at the latest.

Entry is via Gate 2 and the G-Train mobility shuttle service will be operating for anyone needing help closer to the ground.

Otherwise, you can tune into the livestream.

If anyone is wanting to leave a tribute to Daniher and his family, they’re asking donations be made to FightMND in lieu of flowers at fightmnd.org.au.

It took 20 minutes for the queue of people attending Neale Daniher’s State Funeral at the MCG to disappear as thousands of Melburnians waited patiently for the opportunity to pay their respects to the 65-year-old who died on May 25.

They have come wearing blue Big Freeze beanies and scarves of club colours, predominantly from Essendon and Melbourne where he played and coached but from West Coast too, where he worked.

Essendon president Andrew Welsh said Daniher was “an amazing person from an amazing family who is the true heart of Essendon” as he entered the stadium.

All players from both Essendon and Melbourne – who play each other on the weekend – are in attendance.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and Chairman Craig Drummond are also present, as are former Bomber teammates like Mark Harvey and work colleagues, John Worsfold, who was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame last night.

Hamish McLachlan opens proceedings.

“Danihers all about. Feels like game day.”

A reminder you can tune in live over here.

We’ll keep adding to this photo gallery throughout the day.

Some familiar faces for long-time Essendon fans arriving at the MCG – former teammates from Daniher’s 11-year stint at the Bombers, Paul Vander Haar and Ron Andrews.

As a footballer, Neale Daniher was a schoolboy prodigy who made his VFL debut shortly after his 18th birthday in 1979.

He landed at the Bombers, via Assumption College, from his family farm at Ungarie, where he was one of Jim and Edna Daniher’s 11 children.

By his debut season, Daniher was a university student living at Newman College. He even played a secret game for the college that year, well … half a game, unbeknown to the Bombers.

Peter Hanlon recalled that game for us late last month, just days after Daniher passed.

Daniher’s brothers Anthony and Terry have arrived at the MCG. Anthony is among the family who will give a tribute during the service, which gets underway at 1pm.

Many attendees arrived early and queues of people are now starting to stream into the stadium. Many are rocking their blue Big Freeze beanies, lots of Demons and Bombers scarves but also plenty of other clubs represented.

A rare AFL figure who transcended club loyalties, a hero to all.

I love the quote from Daniher they have chosen for the back of the order of service booklet:

“I hope to leave a legacy that says this: no matter the odds, no matter the diagnosis, we all have the power to fight, to smile, and to do. Because the mark of a person isn’t what they say; it’s what they do.”

Maybe we can all try to do one good thing today to make someone else’s life better in his honour.

Anyone else have a favourite quote of his? Hard to go past “play on” – simple but effective.

The order of service is online now.

Sports broadcaster and Daniher’s close friend Hamish McLachlan will open proceedings as MC.

After the Welcome to Country and national anthem, we’ll hear from Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, before family tributes from Daniher’s wife, children and brother.

Former Melbourne footballers David Neitz and Paul Hopgood, who played under Daniher, will also share their reflections, followed by close friend Cam Taylor, and Brisbane coach Chris Fagan.

Singer-songwriter Gary Pinto will perform between tributes.