The AFL has released the umpiring panel for the 2025 Grand Final between Geelong Cats and the Brisbane Lions.
Field umpires Andrew Stephens, Hayden Meyer, Simon Meredith and Jacob Mollison will take charge in the middle of the ground, with Nick Foot in reserve.
Michael Barlow, Daniel Field-Read Matthew Konetschka and Damien Main will run the white line, while 10 time Grand Finalist Ian Burrows has been named as emergency.
In the goals, Matthew Dervan and Adam Wojcik will wave the white flags, with Sam Walsh named as emergency.
QUEENSLAND FIELD UMP EARNS LONG-AWAITED GRAND FINAL DEBUT
After two consecutive years named as emergency Andrew Stephens has broken the hoodoo to be selected for his first Grand Final.
As of last week, Stephens took the unenviable record for most preliminary finals umpired (5) without having umpired a Grand Final.
The Queenslander began his career in Brisbane, debuting in round five of the 2014 season. He took out the award for Most Promising First or Second Year Umpire in 2015 and has been a consistent performer since.
Now with 258 games under his belt, including 16 finals, he’s no stranger to the big stage and will be well-prepared for his Grand Final debut.
Simon Meredith will undoubtedly be on-field leader for the umps, having umpired six more Grand Finals than the rest of them (including emergency Nick Foot) combined.
Saturday will be Meredith’s 4th consecutive Grand Final and 10th overall. He now belongs to an exclusive group of three field umpires to reach double-digits Grand Finals.
Across all disciplines only five others have achieved the feat. Two field umpires (Matt Stevic and John Elder) and three boundary umpires (Darren Wilson, John Lancaster, and Ian Burrows).
Jacob Mollison and Hayden Meyer each return for their second Grand Finals.
Mollison will be umpiring his first Grand Final since the Covid affected clash between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs in 2021.
That game, held at Optus Stadium in front of 61,000 will prove a radically different experience to this coming Saturday, where Mollison will have the opportunity to officiate at the home of football, the MCG, in front of over 100,000 spectators.
Meyer’s last appearance on the last Saturday of September was in 2023 when Collingwood beat Geelong in a thriller.
A post by the AFL revealing Meyer’s emotional reaction to his selection gave a touching insight into just how much passion and love for the game umpires’ have.
DÉJÀ VU FOR BOUNDARY TRIO
Daniel Field-Read, and Matthew Konetschka have gone back-to-back after umpiring the 2024 Grand Final, whilst Michael Barlow has made it three-in-a-row.
For Konetschka, the most experienced of the group, Saturday will mark his seventh Grand Final appearance.
The only current boundary umpire to have done more will be sitting on the bench, as games record holder Ian Burrows has narrowly missed out on stocking his trophy cabinet with an eleventh medal.
Damien Main will make his Grand Final debut after 191 matches.
Like Stephens, he’s been made to wait, having umpired 4 preliminary finals before his debut. On Saturday he’ll be the fourth most experienced boundary umpire on Grand Final debut.
WOJCIK SECURES LEGACY AS ONE OF THE BEST TO WAVE THE FLAGS
Adam Wojcik has secured his place in the greats of AFL goal umpiring, having earned his 6th Grand Final.
This comes just a week after he claimed the record for most finals officiated by a goal umpire when he surpassed Luke Walker’s tally of 37.
In fact, no currently listed goal umpire has umpired more games, finals, or Grand Finals than Wojcik.
Joining Wojcik will be Matthew Dervan, who will umpire his fourth Grand Final in just six years.
Having been selected in 2024 with Sam Walsh, Dervan has just managed to replicate his fine form and go back-to-back, while Walsh has narrowly missed out on a third appearance.Congratulations and good luck to our Grand Final Umpires. Your achievement is a testament to will, dedication, passion and skill.
Article by Jackson Kerr
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