Renowned singer-songwriter Mike Brady recently shared that he almost missed the opportunity to perform his iconic football anthem “Up There Cazaly” at this year’s AFL grand final.
The 78-year-old artist experienced a serious accident in January while taking a routine evening stroll near his home on the Great Ocean Road. Brady expressed his desire to perform the beloved football song at the next two grand finals, marking both the anthem’s 50th anniversary and his own upcoming 80th birthday.
Brady has become a staple of the AFL grand final experience. Despite changes in teams, pre-game performances, and even rules over the years, his rendition of “Up There Cazaly” has remained a consistent highlight of the event for decades.
The recent grand final continued this tradition, though Brady’s participation was uncertain for some time. Following his fall, he humorously recalled, “I fell and landed on my ample backside,” but the injury was serious. He described the ordeal of having to reposition his twisted ankle before making his way to a nearby fire station, leaving behind a “trail of blood and mud.” Subsequent medical evaluations revealed he had fractured his leg, ankle, and foot in 12 different places.
His doctor advised him against overexertion and indicated that walking again would take considerable time, making his involvement in the grand final seem unlikely. However, when the AFL reached out to inquire about his willingness to perform, he firmly declared his intent, saying, “Try and stop me,” emphasizing his passion for the song and its significance to him.
Brady, who considers himself an “outdoors person” and enjoys staying active, admitted there were moments during his recovery when he doubted his ability to perform. “I wasn’t doing well,” he reflected. “I woke up feeling like the place was closing in on me.” He spent five months in the hospital before returning home with the aid of a wheelchair, gradually progressing to crutches and ultimately a walking stick.
Defying expectations, Brady walked onto the stage without his stick on September 26, energizing the crowd of 100,000. He described the exhilaration of performing, stating, “At the beginning of the song, I was singing it normally, but then I thought, ‘I’ve got this; I’m going to be able to sing it!’ I sang harder than I’ve ever sung before.” The audience’s reaction was overwhelming, and he felt a sense of achievement for pushing through his challenges.
As he reflects on his recovery, Brady prefers to focus on the future rather than the past, using his time to create new poetry and music. However, he often found himself reminiscing about a career that unfolded in ways he never anticipated. Brady emigrated from England to Melbourne at the age of 11 and had never attended a full AFL match when he was invited to compose a jingle for the Victorian Football League. “What an honour,” he remarked.
He fondly recalls his first performance of “Up There Cazaly” at the 1979 VFL grand final, introduced by his friend John Farnham. It was that moment he felt a profound connection to Australia, a feeling he had not experienced before. “I really felt like I belonged in Australia,” he shared, recalling the warmth of the audience as they cheered, “Good on ya, Mike.”
Nearly five decades later, the joy he derives from singing the anthem remains palpable. “The smile on my face when I sing it is actually me chuckling at the irony,” he noted, appreciating the unexpected affection he has received as a British immigrant. He hopes to continue performing “Up There Cazaly” for the next two years to celebrate its 50th anniversary as well as his own milestone birthday. “I just hope the crowd is as kind to me as they have been for all those 48 years,” he added.
Brady’s determination to perform this year stemmed from a fear that the AFL might not invite him back if he did not take the stage. Judging by the enthusiastic response from the audience, such concerns were unfounded.
