Like so many kids at an early age, Matt Maclure started his umpiring career as a boundary umpire for the simple reasons that it was a good source of pocket money and kept him fit as he was also playing football. As the running aspect of his umpiring began to impact on his football, Matt took to goal umpiring and has never looked back, enjoying the fact he has the best seat in the house and loves the challenge of getting the score right.
THE PUSH for the AFL to employ full-time whistleblowers is growing within its own ranks, as the umpiring department continues to explore the concept.
Since joining the VFL list, Dylan Benwell has been amongst the high performers at VFL senior level, having umpired 104 VFL, 10 AFV Development and 16 TAC Cup games during his career at the VFL, since arriving from the Southern Umpires’ Association in 2011. He also umpired the 2012 VFL Reserves Grand Final, the 2015 TAC Cup Grand Final and the 2013 and 2016 VFL Grand Finals.
Sunbury’s Kevin Andrews was among those honoured on Thursday night at the AFL Premiership Players Club annual stamp launch.
Packing his bags and saying goodbye to family and friends and then heading for Melbourne will be the first big step in Nathan Williamson’s pursuit of a career as a newly appointed AFL umpire. Well that’s what we thought! Nathan has recently secured a short-term teaching contract in Perth and will remain until that assignment is completed, traveling to Melbourne for pre-season sessions prior to the commencement of his teaching term.
Charles “Alan” Cole passed away last Wednesday. Alan was one of the members of our Yarrawonga chapter. He recently celebrated his 90th birthday with Bill Sutton, Peter Saultry and Ted Johnson traveling to Melbourne to be part of those celebrations.
Boundary umpire, Shane Thiele is a competitive beast by nature, although very lithe by stature. Shane became interested in the World Masters Games that were held recently in WA and given his veteran status, he is over 35, Shane decided to “give it a go.”
Affectionately known as Razor Ray, Canberra-raised Chamberlain is in the capital preparing for a fundraising cycle from Parliament House to Melbourne on Monday morning for GriefLine and mental health awareness.
When October 31 comes around each year all current AFL contract holders roll over to 2017 unless they have been told their time is up and so it was on the day before Cup day last week.