One would have thought moving from the cold winters in Tasmania to tropical Queensland might have proved somewhat difficult for Adam Reardon but not so. Since his appointment to the AFL list, Adam has performed strongly and now finds himself with 50 AFL games under his belt.
Though Adam did arrive with some good credentials – 150 senior games with the Tasmanian State League, 7 senior grand finals and 5 State games with some MCG experience when he umpired the U18 Curtain Raiser on AFL grand final day in 2017.
Living in the official home state of football during a pandemic has meant life hasn’t been too different to normal, other than working from home and some restrictions on group training. Adam admits it been great having other umpires around and being able to train whilst working from home, meaning he got home for dinner by 8pm, making for a pleasant change.
Adam’s biggest learning at AFL level is you can’t take anything for granted because as soon as you switch off thinking something is going to happen it won’t and you’ll be way behind in an instant. His career highlight was umpiring a Brisbane v Collingwood game in front of 34,000 fans which is a huge crowd at the Gabba.
Not being the most naturally gifted runner, Adam is especially proud of his work rate, putting in extra effort at training and pre-season. Running the white line is something Adam really enjoys because he gets to run with great mates each week and the camaraderie of the group is the same as it was in Hobart, which makes it less of a chore and more of a hobby.
His most enjoyable game to date was his first game between Brisbane and Melbourne in round 2 of 2018. Adam admits he got smashed in the first quarter which wasn’t fun but afterwards he felt the most satisfied he’d ever felt after a game. His advice to up and coming umpires is to work hard and have belief in yourself and grasp every opportunity that comes your way.
Adam acknowledged that without his parents and their help in getting to and from games and training in Tasmania, he wouldn’t be umpiring AFL football today. His coach at the TSL Symon Bird was also very influential in shaping Adam’s umpiring career.
Adam is an accountant and likes anything sport related, especially AFL, cricket and cycling. He also enjoys reading and chilling out with friends.
Congratulations Adam on your 50th game! A job well done!