Sydney coach Dean Cox has dismissed any indication that the club has looked into luring Joe Daniher out of retirement, despite speculation in recent weeks of their interest.
Daniher shocked the AFL world when he retired after the 2024 premiership, and is currently jetting around Europe.
The Swans have been on the lookout for an elite key forward to help assist emerging talls Joel Amartey and Logan McDonald, which has been a void left by AFL icon Lance Franklin.
But Cox stopped at suggesting the club was into the two-club star.
“As a footy club, we haven’t enquired or spoken to Joe,” Cox said.
“I can categorically say that. Having said that, I want to make sure the list management team is exploring everyone across the country to improve our list.
“Joe just hasn’t been on that list.”
Daniher was previously targeted by the Swans prior to his move to Brisbane.
Sydney has been linked to making a play for troubled Western Bulldogs star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who recently returned to the club after taking a leave of absence due to personal reasons.
Lions coach Chris Fagan was also quizzed about Daniher’s future, and whether he’d want to come back.
“I’m pretty sure that will never happen. I’m nearly 100% sure, I’m 99.99% sure,” Fagan told the media on Friday.
“I think Joe is enjoying life at the moment… I’ve been texting him a little bit while he’s been in Portugal and Spain, and he’s been enjoying life. I don’t think he’d be in great nick right now; he’d be enjoying everything that he’s doing.
“I’d be very, very surprised if Joey ever plays football again.”
Despite Sydney ruling themselves of any hypothetical race for Daniher, Fagan remained confident that if the enigmatic forward wanted to return, he’d don the Lions guernsey.
“The other thing I’d be very confident in, is if he did come out of retirement, he would play with us,” Fagan said.
Discussion about this post