News

Many boys grow up in Australia dreaming of one day making their AFL debut … and then there is Sally Boud.

Join the AFL Umpires in helping to find a cure for Spinal Cord Injury, a condition that could affect anyone at any time.

Journeyman, Michael Palm umpired his 50th AFL game on Friday night at Etihad Stadium in the top of the table clash between North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.

Bill Wall came to prominence in his role as the Senior Vice President of the VFLUA during the protracted dispute with the VFL in August 1981.  The league’s top 32 umpires had resigned on the eve of round 19.  Bill, along with President, Paul Serong and secretary Peter Bunworth entered talks with Alan Aylett, Jack Hamilton, Alan Schwab and Ian Ridley.  The AFLUA 100 year publication says, “When the meeting was over and no resolution had been achieved, tempers frayed”.

AFL Field Umpire, Dean Margetts was hospitalised back in March after he suffered a burst stomach ulcer, causing his Virgin Flight to Perth from Melbourne to be diverted to Adelaide.

Mark Thomson just keeps on keeping on and this weekend moved into equal 3rd on the all time list of games umpired by a boundary umpire equaling Murray Williams (320). John Morris moves into equal 7th all time joining John Hicks (308)

Rob O’Gorman umpired his first ANZAC Day match on Monday as a field umpire. 

Adam Coote has passed another milestone in a remarkable career now spanning 12 years.  Adam commenced his AFL career in 2005.  His 250 games include 24 finals and 5 grand finals puts him equal seventh of all time as a grand final umpire and equal 16th with Glenn Sinclair on numbers of games.

Boundary umpire Michael Saunders umpired his 150th AFL game when Sydney took on GWS two weeks ago at the SCG. Michael who has been on the list since 2009 now holds the games record for a NSW based umpire. Michael worked extremely hard to get onto the list and then gain the consistency required to get a game week in and week out. He averages 21 games per season which is an outstanding achievement given Sydney only played at home every second week. “I’ve been lucky not to miss very many games. In the early days you’d umpire one week in Sydney then one in Brisbane or Melbourne until GWS came into the competition where we now umpire every week in Sydney.”