Craig, who started in the newly-created coaching and strategy job in October when appointed alongside coach Mark Thompson, has watched Daniher closely in the first part of the club's pre-season.
And in less than two months with Daniher on the track, the former Adelaide coach and Melbourne interim coach has seen a heightened desire in the 19-year-old ahead of his second AFL season.
"I've seen a great improvement, even in my short time here, just by the way he goes about his training. The way he's starting to train now, he's actually starting to train like a man instead of a boy," Craig told AFL.com.au.
"What it means is once you start to train like a man you're prepared to step up, you're prepared to endure pain in your training, you're prepared to test yourself and challenge other players, that's all part of your development because he's now competing against men.
"He's come out of a boys competition, a good under-18 competition, and he's now competing against hardened men. I've really enjoyed, in the short period of time, the strides Joe's taken in that area."
Daniher played five games last season after joining the club as a father-son selection, with all of his three goals coming against Gold Coast in round 12.
But with forwards Stewart Crameri (Western Bulldogs) and Scott Gumbleton (Fremantle) traded at the end of the season, more focus and responsibility will fall on the 201cm forward.
Craig noted the development of Daniher will come down to a range of factors: a work ethic, an understanding of his strengths, the courage to use them, knowing his deficiencies and his determination to improve.
"And the most important thing Joe will develop is a fierce competitive mind because he's going to be exposed to some defenders who don't want him to touch the ball, and not just one of them," Craig said.
"It's exciting for Joe and he's got enormous amount more to continue to improve. But that's exciting for him, it's exciting for the Essendon footy club and it's exciting for the fans.
"It's a famous name, the Daniher name at Essendon, and for our supporters to come along and watch another Daniher play and dominate the game, hopefully, that should create enormous excitement."
Daniher will be overseen by new forwards coach Nathan Bassett, who joined the club as an assistant on the back of coaching Norwood to consecutive SANFL premierships.
Bassett has replaced Matthew Egan, who has switched to take over the defensive group at the club after assistant Sean Wellman departed at the end of the season.
"The reality is that at an SANFL club you're the midfield coach, defence coach and forward coach. Nathan comes into Essendon with great flexibility where he can work," Craig explained.
"I think [with] Matty Egan ... it's now time for him to get some experience from a defensive point of view. So that's just a matter of exposing all of your coaches to a ranges of skill sets in terms of their development."
Twitter: @AFL_CalTwomey
