West Coast Eagles rally around Neale Daniher in fight against MND with WA Freeze
Big Freeze 11 was another roaring success during Melbourne and Collingwood's King Birthday clash at the MCG on Monday, and now the Eagles will have their turn to honour the AFL champion.
Daniher was working at the club when he was diagnosed with Motor neurone disease in 2013, an incurable illness that causes weakness in the muscles, leading eventually to paralysis.
West Coast co-captain Liam Duggan said Sunday would be a special day and that the players were keen to honour Daniher with a strong performance as they hunt their second triumph of the season.
'It's an exciting day; the beanies are one thing, it's obviously very visual, and it's a great cause to be around,' he told club media.
'To be a part of our Freeze game in WA, it's really special. Obviously, the game last week looked super cool from afar with the slide and the quality of game it was.
'To play in that way, that style and the way Danners (Daniher) would have played his footy and coached his footy and the way that he's fought against this beast - that's how we'll be going out to play this game on the weekend.'
Channel 7 icon Rick Ardon will lead the Perth personalities to take the icy plunge on Sunday with radio host Kymba Cahill as well as comedian Peter Rowsthorn.
Adelaide will also host an SA Freeze in their match with Brisbane at Adelaide Oval.
Luke Daniher, Neale's son, said it was good to see the fight against MND still going strong in the place his father's battle began.
'It's amazing to think it is the 11th year, and it's always good to come back to, I guess, where it all began,' he said.
'2013, that's when Dad was diagnosed and he was at West Coast.
'It's amazing to have the West Coast team rally around him and it all kicked off with a fundraiser at The Stables with all those at the West Coast Eagles. It's just grown and grown and grown.'
Luke urged fans to continue to rally around the cause to help find a cure.
'It's very important to keep the best and brightest minds busy when it comes to the beast of a disease,' he said.
'It impacts everyone differently. Every day, two people are diagnosed with MND, and every day, two people lose their lives, so it's incredibly urgent we do something about it.'
'When it comes to fighting such a beast of a disease, it requires a big army, and it's amazing to have the West Coast Eagles, all the supporters, to get behind the cause and without you, we won't find a cure.'
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