When you realise that ACT based boundary umpire, Luke Roberts started umpiring in 1985, most of the current group were only “a twinkle in their father’s eyes” as the old saying goes. Luke’s first ACTAFL grand final was two years later in 1987 and he debuted on the AFL list in 1988 at the SCG. Footy was a past time then and while it was a passion for him, there were more things in Luke’s world that took precedence. His nursing qualifications, a very young family and world travel were a few distractions. AFL footy had just entered the Sydney market and was attended by a more inquisitive crowd, rather than the passionate crowd it has now become. ” I was only 18 and had never seen more than a few hundred people at a game before so a 10,000 SCG crowd was huge,” reflected Luke. “My memories are vague and I only remember snippets. Standing in the race next to Jason Dunstall and being dwarfed by him, watching John Platten and Gary Ablett snr taking speccies put me in awe of AFL football.”
Luke Roberts hangs up his whistle – for the last time
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