If you thought Brodie Filo was good when he played for Eaglehawk in 2015, he's even better now, according to former Sydney Swans star Daryn Cresswell.
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The 2015 Michelsen Medal winner will return to Eaglehawk for the remainder of the 2019 BFNL season and the 2020 season after departing OMFL club Wodonga Raiders.
Cresswell coached Filo at Wodonga for two years and coached against him this year after crossing to the Wangaratta Rovers.
"After watching him the past two years I can say he's the best player I've coached,'' Cresswell, who previously coached in the VFL and in Sydney's Premier Division, said.
"(Before Brodie played with Wodonga) I watched some vision of him and watched him live in a rep game and that's when I decided I wanted to recruit him.
"He does things that you can't teach and he does things that breaks games open.
"He's taken this competition by storm and he should have won two league medals. I enjoyed coaching him because you just never knew what he was going to do next.
"He had that ability to light games up and carry players with him. I'm disappointed he's leaving the competition, to be honest."
Filo's ability to win the footy and do damage forward of centre has never been questioned.
Cresswell said the defensive side of the 28-year-old's game flourished at Wodonga.
"He came along in leaps and bounds in that area. He started to play both sides of the footy,'' Cresswell said.
"That's what made him the player he's been in the last couple of years. His tackling increased, his willingness to win the ball off the opposition was better and we all know what he can do when his side has the footy.
"We always tried to get the ball in his hands as much as possible because he's an elite user of the ball."
Despite having contract issues with Filo, Wodonga Raiders president Mark Johnston said the club would not stand in his way of retuning to Eaglehawk.
"I'm disappointed with how it's turned out, but it's Brodie's decision to leave,'' Johnston said.
"We didn't sack him. I think it's in his best interests to play footy instead of sitting out the season."
The Raiders have assured Eaglehawk that Filo will be cleared before Sunday's AFL Victoria transfer deadline.
Filo won't play for Eaglehawk in Saturday's game against South Bendigo.
With the BFNL having a general bye next weekend, Filo's return match for the Borough will be on home soil against Maryborough on July 13.
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