TWENTY-FOUR years after his father won, Eaglehawk’s Brodie Filo has joined the honour roll of Bendigo Football League Michelsen medallists.

In a thrilling count at the Bendigo Club on Sunday night, electrifying midfielder/forward Filo mowed down Strathfieldsaye’s Shaun Everington to win the Michelsen Medal with 17 votes.

He finished one clear of Everington (16), while there was a four-way tie for third between Castlemaine’s Justin Dorward, Golden Square team-mates Corey Jones and Tom Toma and Sandhurst’s Adam Parry, who all finished on 14 votes.

In the A-grade netball, Sandhurst goal defender Heather Oliver was a runaway winner of the Betty Thompson Medal, polling 42 votes to finish 16 clear of her nearest rival, Strathfieldsaye’s Brianna Dalrymple-Monro on 26.

Filo’s father, Derrick Filo, won the Michelsen Medal in 1991 with Castlemaine, with the pair the first father-son combination to win the Bendigo’s league’s top individual honour.

In what was the lowest winning tally since Eaglehawk’s Kain Robins won with 15 in 2006, excitement machine Filo won the medal after polling in seven games.

Twelve of his votes came with four best-on-ground performances – against South Bendigo in round one, Kyneton in round three and round 10 and Castlemaine in round 14.

The Storm’s Everington quickly established himself as the player to catch after bolting out of the blocks with a flying start.

Gun onballer Everington had 16 votes on the board by round nine, including four best on grounds, but didn’t poll again in the second half of the season.

Everington led the count until round 17 when Filo moved past him by picking up two votes in the Hawks’ 186-point thrashing of Maryborough at Canterbury Park.

Filo’s win comes on the back of him finishing third to Tim Martin last year, while he joins Reece Langan (2000), Lucas Matthews (2001), Robins (2006), Shannon Milward (2008) and Josh Bowe (2010) as Eaglehawk Michelsen medallists since 2000.

Square’s Jones loomed as a possible winner when he moved to 14 votes ahead of his eight-goal performance against Sandhurst at the QEO in round 17, but surprisingly, he received no votes against the Dragons.

Showing the strength of the undefeated Strathfieldsaye, the Storm amassed 99 of a possible 108 votes, with 15 different players awarded votes.

Strathfieldsaye players received the full set of three, two and one votes in 12 of their 18 games. 

2015 BFL MICHELSEN MEDAL LEADERBOARD

17 - Brodie Filo (Eh).

16 - Shaun Everington (S’saye).

14 - Justin Dorward (Cas).

14 - Corey Jones (GS).

14 - Tom Toma (GS).

14 - Adam Parry (Sand).

13 - Alik Magin (Kyn).

13 - Kallen Geary (S’saye).

11 - Jack Daley (GS).

11 - Lee Coghlan (Sand).

11 - Sam Heavyside (S’saye).

11 - Sam Mildren (S’saye).

11 - Jake Hall (S’saye).