Joe Daniher will continue his family’s remarkable tradition at Essendon, while Melbourne have snared Jack Viney for a bargain under the AFL’s father-son rule.
Lachie Hunter, who joined the Western Bulldogs, was the other recruit in Monday’s father-son bidding meeting.
The Bombers were forced to use their top pick in November’s national draft, No.10 overall, but that was considered a good deal for tall forward Daniher, the son of Anthony, who played 115 games for the club.
Joe will become the sixth Daniher to play for the Bombers, joining Anthony’s brothers Terry, the 1984-85 premiership captain, Neale and Chris, along with his own brother Darcy, who was at the club for four years before his career was cut short by injury in 2011.
“They’ve looked after my family for so many years and I’m looking to repay them for what they’ve done for my family and what they’ve done for me,” Joe Daniher said.
The Demons had only to use their fourth draft pick, No.26 overall, to gain midfielder Viney, the son of Melbourne 233-gamer Todd, who is now on their recruiting staff.
Melbourne list manager Tim Harrington said they would have been prepared to use their top pick, No.3, to snare Viney, who they had declared they wanted two years ago.
“Yes, we rated Jack at that pick at least and there’s other clubs who would have rated him there or higher as well so we’re just really thrilled,” Harrington said.
Their top pick wasn’t needed after Gold Coast, who had pick No.2, decided not to bid for either Viney or Daniher.
The Suns instead traded their No.2 pick to Greater Western Sydney in exchange for the rights to draft exciting 17-year-old Jack Martin.
With the Demons having spent the past two years overseeing Viney’s training program and the teenager spending this year with their VFL affiliate Casey, Harrington said he could step straight into senior football.
“The whole program this year was based around Jack getting prepared to play round one,” Harrington said.
The deal left the Demons with picks No.3, No.4 and No.13 available to assist their trade aims of snaring Collingwood pair Chris Dawes and Sharrod Wellingham, who has said he wants to join West Coast, and Gold Coast’s Josh Caddy.
Hunter was drafted with the Bulldogs’ pick No.46.