Milestones

Queensland boundary umpire, Nick Wade achieves his 50 game milestone this weekend when Brisbane plays North Melbourne at the Gabba.

When first gamer Robert Whitehead walked onto the ground at Metricon Stadium last Saturday evening he allowed himself a look back up into the crowd to see his sister.  It was she after all that introduced him to AFL football and goal umpiring.  They even umpired community footy together in Queensland. They are each other’s biggest fans.

Evergreen boundary umpire, Luke Roberts breaks the all time number of games record by a Sydney/ACT based umpire in this weekends, GWS v Carlton game at Giants Stadium.

Boundary umpire Gerard Large surprised us all when he was called in to replace an ill Chris Esler on Sunday to officiate in his 150th AFL game.  Gerard, who describes himself as a solid umpire is extremely resilient having only missed 2 games in 12 years due to illness.

Looking for someone to take into battle who has the qualities of resilience, an ability to perform every action under immense scrutiny and pressure but who has the strength of mind to fight to retain his place on the list, then Graham Bergroth is your go to man.

Chatting with Jason Armstrong (JA) you are disarmed by his cheerful disposition and lack of pretence.  “Yeah I did an under-18 grand final with Matty Stevic and Cam Blanchard, not sure what year. I did a VFL grand final but it was only after my third trial out of Queensland and a grand final there that I made the list,” reflected JA as he tried to put a timeline together with me for the article.  “I know I was 31 years old when I got onto the list, I did my 100th VFL game while on rotation out of the AFL a year or so ago.”

I would like to think that all milestone matches will be as memorable as that one was on Thursday night.  “Adelaide v Collingwood in front of 50,000 screaming fans.  The noise was loud, it was an amazing atmosphere, I couldn’t want for anything more,” said an elated Heath today as he walked with his wife Danielle and son Harrison into the Adelaide zoo.  He had brought his family, including his mother and father across to Adelaide to help celebrate his milestone.

It soon becomes obvious after chatting with Ben Ryan that there haven’t been many AFL products that come from Capricornia or Central Queensland as we know it.  Ben can name three, ex North Melbourne player Gavin Urquhart, current Suns player Zac Smith and himself.  That makes him pretty unique.