News

Here in the AFLUA office we are never far from supporter’s ire.  The phones run hot and our email line at times, is prone to melt.  Imagine the hysteria we were met with on Monday morning after Shaun Ryan’s comments to GWS player Adam Kennedy on Saturday night.  I fail to understand how commentators and then supporters have such short memories.  When has anyone on a football field been able to continually punch an opposition player whether he is injured or not?  You only need to go back to round 11 when Ben Stratton and Charlie Cameron were seen tangling off the ball with Stratton continually punching and pinching the back of Cameron’s arm.  Commentators and supporters were outraged and wanted the behaviour stopped and for the umpire to intervene.  Fast forward two weeks and Stratton was reported for doing the same thing to Essendon’s Orazio Fantasia and suspended for 2 weeks.  He was told very clearly during the game by Ray Chamberlain, “We are watching you, stop doing it, or you will be free kicked.”  Where is the difference?

Congratulations to the two remaining 2019 finals debutants, Andrew Stephens (field) and Lachlan Rayner (boundary) who were appointed to semi-final weekend. 

The NEAFL grand final this weekend at Southport is the first of our state league partners to announce their grand final umpires.  Congratulations to all AFLUA members who have earned the right to manage the best game of the year in their competition.

We sat on an old wooden picnic table outside the library in North Sydney, the sun warming our backs, sipping on a coffee chatting about footy and life.  I was the old fella and Alex Chisholm, the fresh faced young man who is 18 months into his AFL career but who had just farewelled the greatest influence in his young life, his father, Steve who passed away aged 58 following a 5 year battle with cancer.

Three of the four finals on the weekend were decided on the scoreboard by over 40 points. Take one look at the results and you could be excused for thinking the games were all one-way traffic. 

Former High-Performance Umpire’s Manager of the Western Australian Football League (WAFL), Darryl Sinclair is finding new meaning in his life working for the Stephen Michael Foundation. Darryl works with young boys and girls at risk.  “It’s a beautiful thing we do.  We help young people from all walks of life find new meaning through sport,” smiled Darryl as he reflected on his journey through football for the past 40 years.  “I have never been as happy, working four days a week, all over Western Australia adding some meaning to the lives of those who are looking for something to do, or just lend a guiding hand.”

Ten debutants have made the first cut of the AFL 2019 finals race.  Five field umpires, three boundary umpires and two goal umpires have had their performances in 2019 vindicated by selectors and eagerly await their opportunity to perform on the best stage.