Brodie And Jaye Link Up

Found this article by Luke Matthews on the Essendon District Football league website. Ed.

Local footy has been quite the journey for Brodie Holland.

Since hanging up the boots back in 2008 after 11 seasons at the top level, the former Collingwood and Fremantle small forward has just about done it all at suburban level.

It all started when the Tasmanian was fresh out of the AFL system and played a key role in Maribyrnong Park’s two premierships in 2009 and 2010 as a playing coach.

After another four years at the Lions, Holland decided to take a break from football at the end of 2014 before being sounded out by the EDFL three years later to coach the senior interleague team for the 2017 season.

Following a successful stint with Caroline Springs, when Ben Hart moved to an assistant coaching role at GWS at the end of the 2022 season, Holland was at the top of President Whitlam Malkoun’s list to lead the Northern Bullants in 2023.

Soon enough, Holland wanted to get back to the suburban level and Marby has always felt like home.

It seemed like the obvious choice to move back to a club that he’d had a great deal of success with and fortunately, they were looking for a coach after they’d just been relegated.

“I always had Marby in mind to come back to,” Holland remarked.

“I just had such great memories and a great experience at the football club.

“I had a really challenging year at the Bullants last year, finishing second bottom winning only two games.

“I was pretty keen to do something a little bit more relaxed in the footy industry from a coaching point of view.

“Marby’s job was coming up, so I just thought it was a no brainer, I live three minutes around the corner, the kids play juniors there."

At the end of 2023 when Holland walked through the doors at Marby for the first time since 2014 as coach, there was an overwhelming sense of optimism.

Despite a difficult year that saw them finish on the bottom of the ladder and their stint in Premier Division come to an end, Holland knew the club was still in a really good position.

It has taken more than a decade but Maribyrnong Park coach Brodie Holland has his man.

The Essendon District Football League club have confirmed the signing of Tasmanian footy legend Jaye Bowden.

The 35-year-old has a sensational resume in his home state including three Tasmanian State League best-and-fairests, three leading goalkicking awards and several team of the year selections.

“He’s a star down there, just a thoroughbred,” Holland said.

“I was trying for forever and a day to get him to Melbourne. We’re both connected to the Glenorchy footy club back home. Back in about 2012, I was trying to get him to Marby but for different reasons it didn’t work out.

“He stayed in Tassie and had a pretty stellar career. He might be in the later stages of his career, but I think he’s going to be a very good player for us.”

Last season, Bowden returned to Glenorchy in the state competition and dealt with a knee issue, playing much of his footy for the year without a pre-season.

For the record 

Brodie played 155 AFL games  ( Fremantle & Collingwood ) and scored 141 goals. He was second in the Collingwood Best & Fairest in 2005).

Jaye’s record:

• 3 x Glenorchy senior premiership player
• 3 x Alistair Lynch medallist for TSL best & fairest
• 3 x Hudson medallist for TSL leading goalkicker
• 6 x RH ‘Banjo’ Patterson medallist for GDFC best & fairest
• 6 x Tasmanian state representative
• 8 x TSL Team of the Year selection 
• SVOSFC premiership coach 2023
• Southern Old Scholars Football League equal Best & Fairest in 2023