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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. 

AFL CEO, Gill McLachlan hit the nail on the head earlier this week when he mused, attendances are up, football is exciting and unpredictable, scoring in up, stoppages are down and all that makes headlines are a couple of umpiring decisions because journo’s don’t want to be seen talking the game up!  How true is that.

FORMER Albury goal umpire Matt Maclure will officiate in Sunday’s clash between Hawthorn and Melbourne at the MCG.

Three hundred games by any measure is an amazing achievement, when Aaron Deckys crossed the boundary line last Saturday afternoon he became the first Queenslander to achieve that feat.  It is even more meritorious when you consider that for Aaron’s first 200 games there was only a game in Queensland every second week.  Aaron umpired his first AFL game in 1998, he becomes only the 11th boundary umpire in the history of VFL/AFL football to achieve that milestone.  Well done Aaron. Aaron is an evergreen and he even suggests that he is fitter now than at any other stage of his career.

There are not many umpires who can claim they started their AFL umpiring career back in the 20th century but one proud boundary umpire from the sunshine state, who recently umpired his 300th AFL game, certainly can!

The AFL wishes to advise Round Seven of the 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Season has been designated Community Umpiring Week with the aim to encourage people to get involved in umpiring Australian Football at the grassroots level.

Let me introduce you to William Robert Sutton.  What? You don’t know who Billy Sutton is?