Mike Brady performs at half time of the Picola District League senior football grand final at Mathoura Recreation Reserve.
Photo by
Callum Farquhar
Mike Brady still loves country footy.
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The Australian musician will perform his iconic football songs in front of about 100,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on AFL grand final day again this year. It’s something he’s grown accustomed to, as has the regular footy fan.
But despite his revered status in Australia, the 78-year-old still felt equally ‘lucky’ to perform in front of a couple thousand at Mathoura Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
Speaking with the News ahead of his four-song set on Picola District Football Netball League grand final day, an excited Brady provided an insight about how the chance to perform arrived.
“How lucky am I?” Brady said.
“One of my mates Justin Andrew, who’s been very helpful to me through some difficult times, being a bit wounded and all that stuff, quietly asked me if I’d come to the footy one day.
“I said ‘yeah, I’d love to come up’, and then a few weeks later he said ‘would you think about singing?
“So that’s how it crept into it, and he organised it with people from one of the clubs.
“I said ‘I’d love to’, because I actually really love country footy.
Australian rules music icon Mike Brady sings at half time of the senior football grand final.
Photo by
Callum Farquhar
“I’m singing a song today about country footy, which is called The Engine Room (Of Aussie Rules).
“I like the irony that I’m in New South Wales, but country footy is an unbelievably huge part of the community.
“Take a look at all the happy people. It’s fantastic, I’m really thrilled to be here.”
Brady would sing his two classic football tunes - ‘One Day in September’ and ‘Up There Cazaly’, which Brady jokingly called his “superannuation” - as well as the aforementioned ‘The Engine Room (Of Aussie Rules)’ and ‘How Australian’s That’, an original which Brady stated is “all about inclusion”, referencing the nature of football netball clubs.
The Timberyard was rocking by the close of Up There Cazaly.
Sure, the flock of varied PDL club supporters were a slim percentage of what Brady will embrace on the AFL’s grand final day, but as fans shouted the lyrics back to Brady, the echo around the ground was arguably louder than the final siren celebrations when Katamatite claimed the senior football flag over Waaia by less than a kick.
It’ll be one day in September spectators, and Brady himself, will forever remember.
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