AFLUA Heritage Number: 403
AFL Matches at the end of 2023: 403
1st AFL Match: 2005, Hawthorn v Brisbane
400th AFL Match: 2023, Round 22, Collingwood v Geelong (MCG)
Commenced umpiring career with: MSJFL in 1992, VAFA in 1994
Honours in umpiring:
Umpire of the Year (The Bishop Shield) – 2017
AFL Grand Final umpire – 2011
Ian Coates Medallion – 2006
VFL grand final – 2004
VFL U18 grand final – 1999
U18 national championships – 2000
U16 national championships – 1999
Field umpire Chris Donlon has been reappointed President of the AFLUA for 2024. Chris has umpired 403 AFL matches, including 19 finals and the 2011 AFL Grand Final, and was the recipient of the Ian Coates medallion in 2006 and shared the Umpire of the Year (Bishop Shield) accolade with Matt Stevic in 2017. Away from umpiring, Chris works with professional leaders and teams as a conflict and drama coach, and has decades of management consulting, leadership, project management, and professional sports experience.