Joe Daniher is a player with tremendous promise. He has shown plenty of ability during his fleeting appearances for the Bombers, but injury problems have seemingly derailed his career so far. The 25-year old looks set to spend another extended spell on the sidelines, and it’s yet another blow for both player and club. He made a surprise return to the side, and played a significant part in Essendon’s 58-116 thumping of North Melbourne in Round 5, but a potential recurrence of a groin issue will prevent him from playing any further part this season. Will the star forward be able to bounce back from his latest misfortune?
“You don’t know whether you want revenge on life … or whether you’re looking for a blame somewhere — but it’s just the way the penny falls.â€
Dermott Brereton gives an insight into what Joe Daniher would be going through after another injury setback: https://t.co/dElZWFLQ7a pic.twitter.com/vuTMX3lq6c
— FOX FOOTY (@FOXFOOTY) May 23, 2019
Daniher made his debut for Essendon at just 19-years old, but six years on, many AFL fans believe that he’s never quite been able to fulfil his full potential. 2017 was his most productive season to date, he featured in 23 games, and won both the Anzac Day and Tom Wills medals. He was also named in the All-Australian Team alongside teammates Michael Hurley and Zach Merrett. After registering a career-best 62 goals in a single season, his AFL future looked extremely bright, however he’s endured a nightmare 18 months, and has played just twelve times across the last two seasons. At this moment in time it is unclear how long Daniher will be forced to spend on the sidelines, but the early prognosis does not look promising and there are suggestions that he has aggravated his troublesome groin once again. He was added to the club’s injury list on May 22nd, and may not return to the side until next season. The player is likely to require surgery to correct the issue, and that would prevent him playing any further part in 2019. It’s a huge blow for Essendon, who will have to cope without their star forward once again. He missed the majority of the 2018 season, and watched from the sidelines as his side battled their way to an 11th placed finish. Despite this latest hitch, many fans are still confident that their team can finish in the top eight, and they are priced at 2.25 in the latest Aussie Rules betting to qualify for the finals. Their recent 60-53 victory over the Dockers suggested that they should be able to cope without the services of their star forward.
Joe Daniher takes a grab https://t.co/kXdzEbToKg pic.twitter.com/nOQzZHgcG7
— Melbourne Informer (@melbourneinform) May 18, 2019
Bombers manager David Richardson confirmed that Daniher had lost some power and strength in his groin, and admitted that the club will assess all possible options in order to aid his recovery. The forward didn’t feature until week five owing to a calf issue, although the 25-year old did manage to return to action quicker than expected. However, they’ll surely be wary of rushing him back too soon this time around.
It’s the latest in a long line of setbacks for Joe Daniher, and the club must carefully monitor his progress throughout the next six months. He will be desperate to return to the field as soon as possible, and Bombers fans will be hoping he can remain injury-free throughout 2020. The majority of AFL players are affected by fitness issues at some point during their career, but Joe Daniher seems to have suffered more than most. He is a player with incredible ability, and it’s a shame to see his body continually let him down. He has never quite reached his full potential, and he will be 26-years old by the time he returns to action.
Joe Daniher still has time to establish himself as an AFL star, but injuries have hampered his progress over the last 18 months, and it could be a long road back to full fitness for Essendon’s leading goalkicker.
