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AFL umpires have the hardest jobs in the game.  They have to interpret many rules that exist in our game. 

It’s hard to believe that baby faced goal umpire, Steve Axon has been around for 10 years.  He umpired four SANFL grand finals (2001-2004) before he could emerge and make the AFL panel and it was touch and go as to whether he would give footy another year  when he did break through the glass ceiling in 2005.

Boundary umpire, Mark Hill comes from good umpiring stock in South Australia.  His father, Graeme was the fitness coach of the SA field umpires for a few years in the late 90’s. Graeme umpired before that at SANFL level as well as Amateur and country leagues.  Mark recalled being a fixture in umpire’s rooms on game day from the time he was ten.  However, Mark didn’t debut in the AFL from SA.  Although he was part of the academy program in SA and worked through the ranks to an SANFL Grand Final, it was in Brisbane where he made the AFL panel in 2005.  “I moved to Brisbane for a work opportunity and it was to be the first time I had left home. I needed to find myself.”

Standing in the middle of oval number 2 at the now disused AAMI stadium in Adelaide one thing becomes very apparent, the AFL listed umpires in this state lead by example.

A familiar face was among the four umpires to take charge of the Geelong v Adelaide game last Thursday.

Footy has turned a full circle in Queensland over the past few years with a strong full list to choose from in the early 2000’s, to a list that struggled to find the depth required at the elite level over recent years.  However, that all seems to be in the past as the guys prepare themselves for the start to the 2015 season.

Just over seven years ago, a young Sportsready trainee walked through the doors of the AFLUA eager to make her mark on the world.  Now, in 2015 a talented young woman is leaving to pursue her business career.

Grand final boundary umpire Michael Saunders regards himself as the grand father of the young crop of AFL listed umpires he has enthusiastically readying themselves for the 2015 season.