The Queen’s Birthday clash between Collingwood and Melbourne is always a big day on the footy calendar, but this Monday’s match will be more special than most.

Before the first bounce, former AFL stars such as Tim Watson, Garry Lyon, Dermott Brereton, Brian Taylor and Luke Darcy – along with media personalities like Sam Lane, Mick Molloy, Mark Robinson and Bryan Strauchan – will head down a slide into a pool filled with two tonnes of iced water, all to raise money for Motor Neuron Disease (MND) research.

“every dollar gives us hope and every dollar gets us closer to a cure” – Neale Daniher

Former Essendon player and Melbourne coach Neale Daniher, who was diagnosed with MND in 2013 and has been the face of the recent ‘Big Freeze at the G’ campaign, spoke to AFL360 this week about his condition, the need for research funding and the support he’s received from the footy community so far.

“We’re woefully underfunded in this area – it’s killing people every day,” Daniher said.

“I just felt we had to do something about it. The way the AFL community has embraced the challenge… It’s been overwhelming.”

Though Daniher says he “might be six feet under” by the time a cure for MND is found, he’s buoyed by donations that allow further research to take place.

“Every dollar counts, every dollar gives us hope and every dollar gets us closer to a cure.”

In the short-term, Daniher has his sights set on Monday – to see how much money can be raised for MND, and hopefully to see a Melbourne win.

“I’m looking forward to a cracking game.”

Daniher will lead the AHG ‘Walk to the G’ from Federation Square at 12:30pm on Monday, and will visit the Collingwood faithful before they walk to the G from the Westpac Centre.

To make a donation, head to freezemnd.com or SMS the word FREEZE to 0400 064 064 to donate five dollars.