An extremely rare event occurred at 4pm on Sunday, the crowd around the umpires race in the Essendon v WCE game stood and applauded the umpires as they left the field. Shaun Ryan and Simon Meredith looked bemused, Eleni took it in and enjoyed the experience. The football public had spoken. They understood better than most, the enormity of what had just occurred.
“Breaking down the barriers – It’s about what brings us together rather than what sets us apart”. That’s the message from Dave Harris, current AFL field umpire and Sports Administrator of the Geelong Umpires ahead of Saturday’s ninth annual Encompass Cup, where a panel of umpires with varying disabilities will officiate the clash between Belmont Lions and Winchelsea Blues.
On 21 May 2017, Eleni Glouftsis will become the first female field umpire to officiate in an AFL game when she walks out onto Etihad Stadium to umpire Essendon v West Coast. It is a remarkable achievement that has caught the attention of the football world, including Prime Minister Turnbull who has passed on his congratulations.
Any cheers for an umpire are unexpected, but this shout-out might have had Eleni Glouftsis choking on her whistle as she prepares to become the first woman to officiate as a field umpire in a senior AFL match.
On Saturday afternoon in Round 4, field umpire Rob O’Gorman notched up his 50th AFL match at Manuka Oval in Canberra.
“FROGGY” as he affectionately known was born on the 2nd of December 1945 to Sidney & Phyllis Thomson at Reservoir. Alan has a brother Ian and in 1973 married Dianne. They have two children, Christopher and Sally.
What do you say to a man who has been front and centre on our television screens for almost a quarter of a century and to be honest, just keeps on giving? His resilience is boundless. His energy and hunger for the contest is amazing. Only current umpire coach, Hayden Kennedy has umpired more games. Shane commenced his AFL career in 1994. Now aged 46, Shane’s 450 games comprise 26 finals and 2 grand finals. Congratulations Shane.
When I met Shaun Ryan he’d just been in court, working as a barrister. He looked wide-awake and explained to me how he’d imposed on himself a “media ban” that he was breaking for this interview, in part because he no longer reads football media.
Michael (Mara) Marantelli walked onto Etihad Stadium for the St Kilda v Greater Western Sydney clash at Etihad Stadium for his 150th AFL Match.