News

Hello all I’m back for another series of ‘where are they now?’  In this edition we turn back the clock to 1976 and check in on:

Sam Walsh is our newly appointed AFL goal umpire on the Victorian list. 

Patrick is one of a select few who has umpired three VFL grand finals before being promoted to the AFL, having officiated the 2015, 2016 and 2017 grand finals at Etihad Stadium.

James is one of many umpires who have been influenced by their father’s career as an umpire and began his career with the AFL Brisbane juniors in 2005. He was the Under 15 National Schoolboys All-Australian umpire in 2008, umpired in the Northern Territory League in the 2010/11 season before making his NEAFL debut in 2012.

Being appointed to the AFL boundary list with six AFL games under his belt is not the normal pathway for an umpire being appointed to the AFL, however Damien Main has that record, having been called up from the VFL in 2017 to cover injuries on the AFL boundary list.

Like a number of his umpiring colleagues, the earlier attraction to umpiring was money and fitness, so as a 14-year-old, Adam Reardon started umpiring in regional footy competitions around the Hobart area for a couple of years before starting to umpire in the Tasmanian State League when it was reintroduced in 2009.

Realising the dream………Alex had always dreamed of playing AFL football but soon realised he was a terrible footballer so set his sights on umpiring, first as a field umpire, then a boundary umpire before taking up the flags in 2012.  

Matthew started with the Sydney South Junior umpiring group in 2006 and was exposed to AFL Sydney Premier Division football as a boundary umpire in his first year by Anton Lewis (AFL Sydney stalwart). Matthew progressed to senior football as a field umpire in 2008 and has been a NEAFL field umpire since 2012. In 2011 and 2015, Matthew umpired the AFL Sydney Premier Division grand finals.

Joining the AFL Boundary list in Sydney is Michael Barlow who has given up his career and studies in the ACT to move to Sydney.