Education
The following season he played in the first seven rounds and finished the year with nine games.
The following season he played in the first seven rounds and finished the year with nine games.
Tilley was originally from West Preston and played Under-19s football for Fitzroy. He broke into the seniors for the first time in 1985 when he made four appearances. At Street Kilda in 1987, he had to wait until round 21 to play a senior game, coming into the side to replace ruckman Warwick Green.
Tilley later turned to coaching and was put in charge Heathcote District Football League club Broadford.
The league suspended him for the remainder of the year as well as the entire 2005 season. He was also charged in court and in 2006 he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, 12 of them suspended, having been found guilty of "intentionally causing serious injury" to Travis Lomas.
He returned to football after the end of his sentence and spent time as coach of both North Heidelberg and Broadford. In 2010 he coached the latter to a grand final and the following season joined Lancefield as coach.