AFL great Neale Daniher has been named the 2025 Victorian Australian of the Year.

The former Australian rules footballer and co-founder of the charity FightMND was named at a ceremony in Melbourne last night.

He has been recognized for his work raising funds and awareness for motor neurone disease.

Daniher was diagnosed with the illness in 2013.

Since then, he has raised millions of dollars through his charity to help other people suffering from MND and towards the search for a cure.

The 63-year-old continues to campaign despite being at an advanced stage of his degenerative disease.

The announcement was met with a standing ovation from those attending the awards night, as Daniher looked at his wife and raised his eyebrows with a smile.

“Even though it’s not why we do what we do, I’m humbled and honored to have been named Victoria’s Australian of the Year,” Daniher said in a brief statement on social media.

Jan Daniher joined him on stage and said Neale was upset when he was nominated.

She congratulated the other nominees, including Madeleine Buchner, founder of a youth charity, soprano, composer and arts pioneer Deborah Cheetham Fraillon and anti-sexual extortion and suicide campaigner Wayne Holdsworth.

“It’s been amazing listening to all the stories, so the fact that Neale is included in this is incredibly special to our family,” she said.

Ms Daniher said there were no clinical trials to treat or cure MND when her husband was diagnosed in 2013, and she said he would continue his fundraising and awareness work for as long as he could.

In a congratulatory message on social media, Prime Minister Jacinta Allan described Daniher as a “football champion.” Fighting champion. Champion.”

He will represent Victoria at the national awards ceremony in Canberra next year.

Sports medicine leader and health campaigner Peter Brukner has been named the 2025 Victorian Senior Australian of the Year.

AI and automation entrepreneur Aishwarya Kansakar was named Young Australian of the Year for Victoria and women’s football advocate Jasmine Hirst is Victoria’s 2025 Hometown Hero.