Brisbane Lions legend Jason Akermanis has questioned Joe Daniher’s decision to retire only days after helping his team achieve premiership glory.
Daniher informed teammates of his immediate retirement on Thursday.
Despite having one year left to run on his contract, the star forward cited not wanting to play on in 2025 if he was not 100 per cent invested in the Lions’ campaign.
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Speaking on 3AW’s Wide World of Sports radio, Akermanis could not understand Daniher’s satisfaction in going out on top with Brisbane poised to fight for flags in the seasons to come.
“Why, at 30 [years of age], when you’re just getting your game on and you’re now starting to play the type of footy you want, and in the best team in the country, would you say, ‘Yeah, you know, I’ve had enough’,” he said.
Joe Daniher played 204 senior games across 12 seasons between the Bombers and Lions. Getty
“He’s got another year to go [on his contract].
“I would have said, ‘Hey Fages (coach Chris Fagan), look mate, just give me a program, I’ll do it at my house, I’ll come back to training after Christmas and I’ll be right to go round one’. That’s what I would have done.”
Akermanis admitted that some players approach to their football would differ from his but he cherished his decorated 16-year career.
“Over the 14 years that I’ve been retired, I have been asked many times by current players about retiring and I say this each time and it’s never changed: If you think that there is a better job out there that’s going to give you as much purpose … if you think there is something better [than football], I got bad news for you, there ain’t,” he said.
Jason Akermanis during his stint at the Brisbane Lions. Getty
“The other part of that is I say play as long as you can. Play to win until they say, ‘Sorry mate, you’re out’. Don’t make that decision yourself.
“That’s the way I approached it but I loved the game and maybe Joey doesn’t.”
Akermanis only hoped Daniher would not come to regret his decision.
“I know for a fact, there is nothing like it for [footballers]. It doesn’t matter what they say,” he said.
“They’ll know and they’ll tell you in a few years that there was nothing like it.
“But things change and that’s why individuals are different. There’s no right or wrong.
“Joey has just done what Joey wants to do.”
Akermanis was also a big fan of Eric Hipwood’s goal celebration during the decider that channelled the Brownlow Medallist’s famous ‘gobsmacked’ expression against Geelong in 2005.
“That was crazy,” Akermanis said of Hipwood’s celebration.
“In the end now we’re bonded forever.”