Jacob Mollison walked onto Manuka Oval last Sunday in his 150th AFL game confident in the knowledge that he would deal with anything that the game threw at him. After all you don’t spend more than eight years on the elite AFL panel without developing and honing those skills that spectators just take for granted.
I was left in no doubt after speaking to Matt Tomkins that his 100th game in Launceston last weekend was a significant milestone in his already illustrious career. “It was a special day, one that I will look back on fondly. My partner and my family came down for the weekend to make it that much more special,” reflected Matt.
The first VFL matches played on the 25 April occurred in 1914 exactly 12 months prior to The First Division storming ashore at Gallipoli:
Field umpire Ray Chamberlain was forced off the ground due to a heel injury at half time in the “Q clash” on Saturday evening. Ray took some convincing that he needed to put his welfare first and leave the game to first gamer, James Waldorf.
Katrina Morris (nee Pressley) was the first woman to be appointed to an AFL game. Katrina was appointed to the AFL list in 1998 and umpired 28 AFL matches in her six season’s on the list before her retirement in 2003. Katrina goal umpired out of her home state of Queensland.
When one achieves a significant milestone, one can not help ponder how an opportunity which presented itself to David Dixon as he finished playing junior football. David was invited by the Footscray District League to take up umpiring and now 30 years later, David has become the record holder for the most VFL / AFL games as a goal umpire with 338 games.
AFL goal umpire, David (Dicko) Dixon broke the games record for VFL/AFL goal umpires when he officiated in Saturday’s St. Kilda v Collingwood Game at the MCG. It was Dicko’s 338th game which includes 32 finals and 6 grand finals. It has taken him into his 18th season (1998 – 2016) to accumulate the tally of games. He breaks the record of David Flegg who umpired for 21 years (1990-2011) 337 games including 19 finals and 3 grand finals. (See the interview with David later in the week)
Part of my work experience tasks was to write an article on AFL umpires. So I went along to training on the 5th of April 2016. The umpires train at Ikon Park in Carlton.
Goal umpire, Matt Dervan became the 341st goal umpire to officiate in a VFL/AFL game when he took to the field in the Essendon v Melbourne match at the MCG. Matt’s parents were in the crowd to witness his AFL debut as was his VAFA mentor and ex AFL goal umpire, Clayton Evans. There was a large contingent of goal umpires who arrived at the G to support a very nervous, yet excited Matt. When we caught up with Matt today he described his experience as “awesome.”