MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 24: Joe Daniher of the Lions marks the ball during the round six AFL match between the Carlton Blues and the Brisbane Lions at Marvel Stadium on April 24, 2021 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
The Brisbane Lions have announced that mustachioed spearhead Joe Daniher will remain with the club until the cessation of the 2025 season.
While the former Bomber was previously contracted until the end of 2023, this latest extension will keep the 27-year-old in maroon, blue and gold for a further pair of campaigns.
Having joined the Gabba side after eight years and 108 games at Tullamarine, Daniher enjoyed a sublime opening season as a Lion, finishing with 32 majors from 24 appearances.
Given the son of ex-Essendon star Anthony Daniher only managed 15 games in his final three seasons with the Dons, the turnaround in form and health was enough to see the Daniher slot at least a goal a week during the home and away season.
Speaking in the wake of his re-signing, the father-son selection claimed that he was loving life in the river city.
"It's been fantastic,” Daniher told lions.com.au.
“I’m really enjoying the place, really enjoying the city. The team and club itself is in great shape."
Still, Daniher also revealed that head coach Chris Fagan was far from aware of the 2017 Crichton medalist's extension.
“He [Fagan] was a bit surprised I signed the contract,” Daniher told The Age in good humour.
“I was very clever. I went around his back and chatted to Swanny [CEO Greg Swann] and DD [Danny Daly] and our recruiting boss Dom [Ambrogio] and got the deal done before Fages had a chance to agree to it.”
Following his role in keeping Daniher on at the Gabba, Ambrogio was effusive in his praise of the lanky finisher.
SEE ALSO: If your team could bring back one player - Brisbane Lions
“Joe hasn’t missed a beat since joining the Lions,’’ he said.
“He set the tone in his first pre-season at the Club by being one of the only players to do every single session and he took that base and turned it into a very good debut season for our Club.
“His second pre-season has been just as productive.
“This extension is reward for Joe for the great start he’s made with the Lions and for us it is about locking away one of the key planks of our side to a longer-term deal.”
Daniher and the Lions are set to face the Suns and Bulldogs in pre-season clashes across the course of the next month before their season proper commences against Port Adelaide on March 19.