Australian Football Association of North America

Scott Lockhart reporting for AFANA from Perth.

Neil Daniher will coach the Melbourne football club for last time on Friday night against Essendon at the MCG after nearly a decade in control of the team.

Melbourne assistant coach Mark Riley will takeover as caretaker coach for the remainder of the season.

Melbourne Chairman Paul Gardiner said the club and Daniher had come to a mutual agreement that would see a new coach appointed at the end of the season, but Daniher's desire to not be a "lame duck" coach led to the premature exit.

"If you look at the way a person prepares for a game and the emphasis and stress that goes into it - perhaps that passion can wane,” Gardiner said.

Pressure has slowly built on Daniher’s position throughout the season with the side sitting in 15^th position on the ladder, culminating in last Friday’s dismal performance against Richmond.

Gardiner said the club would not rule out anyone in their pursuit of a new head coach.

“It is more than the pursuit of a head coach as pivotal as that is," he said.

"We think we're a genuine finals side, we think that next year for our 150th year we'd like to see a really good effort and see what we can do,"

Source: Fox Sports