The Bombers have tightly managed Daniher's program this year, with the promising key forward only playing a handful of games with TAC Cup side Calder Cannons and one game so far for Vic Metro in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.??
The 18-year-old will play on Wednesday for Metro against Western Australia at Etihad Stadium, and said that he would like to play some VFL games with Essendon's affiliate Bendigo Gold to test himself against older opponents.??
"It's something I want to do, but whether I'm fit enough and strong enough to play will be up to the Essendon staff to make that call," Daniher told AFL.com.au. ??
"I'd love the opportunity to play against some bigger bodies and it's something I've got to get used to."??
Daniher, the son of former Bomber defender Anthony, has committed to joining the Bombers at this year's NAB AFL Draft under the father-son rule. ??
The Bombers met with the AIS-AFL Academy and the Calder Cannons at the start of the year to map out a plan for which games Daniher would play in 2012.
The parties originally planned to meet after the championships to discuss the second half of Daniher's season. The club needs approval from the VFL and AFL if Daniher does play in the state-based competition.
Daniher has spent significant time at the club this year working with the fitness and conditioning staff, and tends to be at the club most days. Under AFL rules he is not allowed to train with the team yet.
Melbourne's nominated father-son draftee Jack Viney played in the VFL in May for Casey Scorpions, but suffered a broken jaw.
Essendon will almost certainly need to part with its first-round draft pick to secure Daniher under the father-son bidding system, but with James Hird's side doing so well this season that pick is unlikely to be inside the top 10.
It is widely thought in recruiting circles that Daniher would rival Dandenong's Lachie Whitfield for the first overall pick if he were available to all clubs, and the impressive forward's credentials were further boosted on Monday when he was named this year's Ben Mitchell medalist.
"I was a little bit shocked," he said after receiving the AIS-AFL Academy award on Monday.
"It's really overwhelming and just such a great honour to have this award.
"I'm sure it's something I'll look back on fondly in the future."
The medal is named in honour of former Academy graduate Ben Mitchell, who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2002 a year after he graduated, and was voted on by the 30 members of the current Academy class.
Personal qualities such as courage, determination, passion, confidence and discipline form part of the criteria for the award with past winners including Essendon's David Myers, Melbourne's Jack Grimes and the Giants' Matthew Buntine.
Callum Twomey is a reporter for the AFL website. Follow him on Twitter at @AFL_CalTwomey.
