Derrick and Brodie Filo 1000 country footy matches on radar

Premiership teammates together in 2007, father-son Derrick and Brodie Filo have country footy immortality in their sights.

Pressure doesn’t build much bigger in country footy than the dying stages of a grand final in front of thousands of people with a premiership in the balance.

Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval lays rightful claim to being the MCG of the bush in late September, and the 2007 Bendigo league grand final was a true heavyweight bout.

Gisborne had won four flags since entering the BFL in 2002 and was chasing a third successive premiership.

Eaglehawk, the underdog, hadn’t lifted the cup for 25 years and turned to league legend Derrick Filo to coach in the hope of breaking the drought.

Eaglehawk 2007 premiership team coached by Derrick Filo and included his son Brodie. Picture: Supplied

Then aged in his early 40s, Derrick became the first BFL player to reach the 400-match milestone midway through 2007.

He blooded teenage son Brodie in round 1, and come grand final day, they played pivotal roles in a famous victory.

Trailing by 17 points early in the last term, Brodie ran into an open goal to cut the margin to five points before his dad sealed the flag for Eaglehawk off his own boot with two late goals.

Derrick’s career ended on 470 senior matches.

The bulk of those were in the BFL for Castlemaine, Kyneton, Kangaroo Flat and Eaglehawk and the tally topped up with 21 interleague matches and half a season at Balranald.

Following another summer playing in Darwin, 34-year-old Brodie has now taken his personal senior matches tally to 465.

Eaglehawk coach Derrick Filo and son Brodie after the 2007 Bendigo league grand final.

A combined 1000 matches for the father-son duo has suddenly become a genuine possibility almost two decades on from the unforgettable flag they shared in 2007.

“Playing with your old man with everything he already had accomplished in footy was pretty crazy,” Brodie said.

“I was a pretty confident kid, but it probably made my chest stick out a bit more.

“I was able to take the game on knowing that I not only had dad’s support, but the older ones looking after me as well.

“Little things you look back at now were pretty special.”

One “special” moment was the pair combining to kick nine goals in Derrick’s 400th match.

They are also both on the Michelsen Medal honour roll with Derrick successful in 1991 and Brodie’s winning in 2015.

Derrick Filo played more than 400 matches in the Bendigo league for Castlemaine, Kyneton, Kangaroo Flat and Eaglehawk.

Brodie has also won a Morris Medal in the Ovens & Murray league in 2018.

Durability to keep serious injury at bay is another similarity.

But a glaring difference in their two careers has been Brodie’s preparedness to play in different leagues in different states and territories.

Money hasn’t been the motivation behind stints with Peel Thunder, Koondrook-Barham, Shepparton United, Wodonga Raiders, Wangaratta Rovers and Nightcliff in the Northern Territory where he has just become the first player to win three Nichols Medals.

Playing at the highest level for as long as he can has kept him going.

“I am not a big money man,” he said.

“My goal when I left Eaglehawk was to play at the highest level I could.

“There are always silly offers out there.

“But I’ve always been someone who has prided myself on playing good footy.

“I never wanted to be a flat-track bully where you are a big fish in a small pond.”

Brodie Filo has won three Nichols Medals playing in the NTFL. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media

Following his debut season with Eaglehawk, Brodie played for the Bendigo Pioneers with Richmond superstar Dustin Martin a teammate for five matches.

His brief stint at Peel Thunder in the WAFL is the highest level he has played.

But he has “no regrets at all” about not playing in the AFL.

“You do aspire to play AFL, but it’s not the be-all and end-all,” he said.

“You can still have a good career without getting to the top.

“I’ve enjoyed travelling around meeting some good people and playing some good footy.

“I can’t complain.”

The most games he has played at one club is 154 for Nightcliff followed by 112 for Eaglehawk.

Brodie Filo has represented the Ovens & Murray league three times. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Brodie is about to start his fourth season for Ovens & Murray club Wangaratta Rovers, which broke a 30-year premiership drought last year.

He was in the best players as the Rovers reversed a second semi-final mauling from Yarrawonga to win by three points with the victory ranking among his finest moments in a long career that is showing no signs of slowing.

Derrick has naturally watched his son’s career closely and makes the occasional trip north to watch Brodie play in the O&M.

“He’s still playing good footy,” Derrick said.

“If you can avoid injuries, you’re laughing.

“I was pretty lucky too and didn’t miss too many through injury.

“I don’t know whether it’s genetics or just good luck.

“You do tend to tail off in your late 20s, but he’s also been able to stave off old age pretty well.

“He doesn’t do your traditional pre-seasons because he’s playing in Darwin.

“Country clubs are doing four months pre-season training these days.

“But he’s playing games when that’s all happening.

“It’s certainly not diet because we both don’t mind a drink.”

Originally published as Derrick and Brodie Filo 1000 country footy matches on radar