Field umpires’ assistant coach, Michael Vozzo took one last long stroll on the MCG playing surface last Thursday evening reflecting on an AFL career that saw him start his career as an umpire in the 1994 TAC Cup Grand Final on the MCG in his first year on the VFL development panel. Michael went on to forge a very good career as one of the game’s best officiators.
Michael was appointed to the AFL senior panel in 1999 where he umpired 281 games including 24 finals and the 2006 and 2008 grand finals. Michael retired in 2011 and took up the director of umpiring role in the Eastern Football League where he worked developing young emerging talent.
Michael was appointed to the position as an AFL assistant umpires’ coach in 2014. “I loved my time working with our umpires, however, I am an outdoors person and I love being my own boss.” Michael will return to the work he was trained to do as a turf consultant.
We wish him well.