The AFL has changed how the Neale Daniher Trophy will be awarded before this afternoon's Big Freeze match between Melbourne and Collingwood at the MCG. The new process, developed in consultation with the Daniher family after Neale Daniher's passing, gives the trophy a formal vote count for the first time.
That is why searches for what time is the big freeze slide 2026 are peaking now: the trophy will be presented after the King's Birthday clash, with the AFL tying the ceremony directly to the game at the MCG. The award will go to the player who best reflects Daniher's mantra, “Play On,” and the qualities that sat behind it — bravery, resilience, unity, care, conviction and selflessness.
At the end of the match, Melbourne coach Steven King will award 3-2-1 votes to the players he believes best embodied those values. Collingwood coach Craig McRae will do the same. Those votes will go to the Daniher family, who will present the trophy to the highest vote-getter after the siren.
It is a change that matters because the tribute is no longer only a family-presented moment; it is now anchored in the match itself, with the coaches shaping the result and the Daniher family holding the last word only if there is a tie. The family still matters most in the room, but the route to the trophy now runs through the football being played today.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said the updated process was designed to make the award more explicitly reflect the qualities Daniher lived every day and to keep it a lasting tribute to his legacy. He said Daniher inspired millions through courage, resilience, optimism, generosity and an unwavering commitment to others, and that those values remain central to the Big Freeze and King's Birthday match.
The unresolved piece is the one fans will watch for live: which players earn the votes, and who comes out on top when King and McRae submit their lists. The answer will come only after the final siren at the MCG, when the Daniher family steps in to hand over the trophy to the player the coaches and votes have made the standout of the afternoon.
