Is there a way you can turn on logging and
test the assumption that your filter is being hit first? In theory, this should work. In fact it's worked in a few projects I've used filters on. Can you turn on/up logging to see what's going on?
I think there can only be two explanations.
1. The filter where you set the attribute is hit after the filter you try to access the attribute
2. The request object you set the property on is somehow not the request object that is received in the filter where you try to read the attribute.
The latter seems less likely to me, which is why I'm pushing the filter order.