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When you grow up in a family that eats, drinks and lives footy, with a father, Noel, that played 57 games for Richmond between 1975 and 1979, then a further 6 for South Melbourne in the VFL it is all about being down the local park kicking a footy with your dad and brothers, going to every game and barracking for your dad’s team. Footy was always going to play a part in Matthew Jenkinson’s life!  His first major milestone, 100 games, makes Matt the 134th boundary umpire to reach that milestone.  He is now establishing a place inside the boundary fence that is his own.

The first true test of the four field umpire system was put into place over the weekend.  Trials have been conducted over many years in NAB challenge matches and during the last four rounds of last season.  However, that trial was confined to non finals teams and non finals umpires.

One of the first things that struck me about Tim Lougoon was his resilience and mental toughness.  Tim recalls that he got a call up from then AFL boundary umpire Technical Consultant, Keith Norman on the eve of his round one VFL game in 2014 and asked if he wanted an AFL contract.  “What do you think I said?” laughed Tim this afternoon.  Three more runs in the VFL, some intense coaching and Tim walked onto the MCG in round 5 to umpire Melbourne v Gold Coast.  Nothing seemed to phase him.  He just took everything in his stride.

His cheeky smile will disarm you, his layback nature and easy conversation draws you to him instantly.  Walk across the white line onto an AFL ground and it’s gloves off, concentration on and a relentless pursuit of excellence that consumes Jonathan Creasey until the final siren blows.  Then the switch is flicked and he returns to that mild mannered state.

For the second year in a row umpires donned the blue beanies in a show of support for Neale Daniher and his Freeze MND day at the MCG.  This year the goal umpires wore the beanies as part of their match day uniforms.  David Dixon and Dan Wilson kept their ears warm on a cold Melbourne day.

WHEN Celia Nash is asked to remove her Hawthorn scarf and jacket, she does so reluctantly.

We have to spare a thought for the players and umpires in Saturday’s clash on the Gold Coast.  Strong storms lashed the whole eastern seaboard of Australia and dumped 278mm of rain on the Gold Coast mostly during the game.  Only just over 4,000 spectators braved the conditions to watch the game.  Veteran boundary umpire, Aaron Deckys cannot remember experiencing conditions like it before, “and I’ve been around for close to 20 years!”

To say Sally Boud’s life has changed in the last six months would be a massive understatement.

A well-known quote ‘You get what you work for, not what you wish for’ is a great way to introduce newly promoted AFL boundary umpire Ryan Kukura who was awarded Heritage Number 567 when he umpired his first AFL match between the West Coast Eagles and Richmond on 15 April 2016.