State funeral for Neale Daniher begins at the MCG

A state funeral has begun at the MCG for AFL/VFL legend and motor neurone disease campaigner Neale Daniher. The former Australia and Victorian of the Year died just over a fortnight ago. Family, friends, members of the AFL community and dignitaries are attending the service just days after a record-breaking Big Freeze fundraiser for his charity, FightMND. A state funeral service has begun for AFL legend Neale Daniher. The former footballer, coach, Australian and Victorian of the Year, and motor neurone disease (MND) campaigner died at his home in Melbourne on May 25 at the age of 65. His family accepted the Victorian government's offer of a state funeral which is now underway at the MCG. Today's funeral was open to the public through a ticket allocation. A large crowd of mourners have gathered at the stadium to pay their respects to Daniher. Among them are Australia's Governor-General Sam Mostyn, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, opposition leaders Angus Taylor and Jess Wilson, and Victorian Governor Margaret Gardner. Former Victorian premiers Jeff Kennett, Steve Bracks, Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine are also in attendance. Sports broadcaster Hamish McLachlan is the master of ceremonies for the funeral. He urged the crowd not to gather in grief alone, but in gratitude for Daniher's efforts for MND awareness. "What a privilege to have lived at a time when we can learn from a man we celebrate, honour and remember today," he told the crowd. "He understood something many of us learn when it's all too late — that a life's worth isn't in its length but what you do with the time that you're given." Daniher played 82 games for Essendon in the AFL/VFL from 1979 to 1990 and later coached Melbourne for more than 220 games from 1998 to 2007, including guiding the Demons to the grand final in 2000. After being diagnosed with MND in 2013, he threw himself into raising awareness of the disease and fundraising for research, establishing the FightMND charity. Its signature annual event, the Big Freeze, is now in its 12th year, has raised tens of millions of dollars through the sale of beanies and by plunging a long list of celebrities into an icy pool at the MCG.