THERE he is. On the edge of the frame. But no one is looking at him. Instead 50,000 sets of eyes are on the Crows player with No. 19 on his back who is about to kick a miraculous goal from deep in the pocket at the Adelaide Oval.
To be named on the AFL “rookie list” clearly indicates to all that you are taking the next step towards becoming a AFL-listed field umpire. You have spent the summer trialing to get a contracted place on the list, attending coaching sessions, teleconferences if you are interstate, following a rigorous training program, but like everything else in footy you are only as good as your last performance which for many of our rookies has been their state league grand finals.
Spare a thought for the umpires and the umpiring department today. As Hawthorn decides if Cyril Rioli is fit enough to play or whether Sewell or McEvoy can force their way back into the team, Campbell, Kennedy and their fellow selectors are putting ticks and crosses next to names that will determine the third team that walks onto the MCG this grand final Saturday.
Field umpire Troy Pannell officiates in his 150th AFL game this Friday night in the preliminary final between Sydney and North Melbourne. Troy is uncovering some rare earth this season as his finals campaigns in the previous two seasons had not gone this deep.
When you realise that ACT based boundary umpire, Luke Roberts started umpiring in 1985, most of the current group were only “a twinkle in their father’s eyes” as the old saying goes. Luke’s first ACTAFL grand final was two years later in 1987 and he debuted on the AFL list in 1988 at the SCG. Footy was a past time then and while it was a passion for him, there were more things in Luke’s world that took precedence. His nursing qualifications, a very young family and world travel were a few distractions. AFL footy had just entered the Sydney market and was attended by a more inquisitive crowd, rather than the passionate crowd it has now become. ” I was only 18 and had never seen more than a few hundred people at a game before so a 10,000 SCG crowd was huge,” reflected Luke. “My memories are vague and I only remember snippets. Standing in the race next to Jason Dunstall and being dwarfed by him, watching John Platten and Gary Ablett snr taking speccies put me in awe of AFL football.”
Thomo believes umpiring is etched into his DNA. “I have spent more time in my life umpiring now than not. I just love it, I am challenged every time I walk out onto a ground.” The passion and enthusiasm in his voice is unbridled.
While never an umpire on the VFL senior panel, Harold Macguire supported many members in his time in the VFL Reserve Grade Umpires Association as a goal umpire. Harold was made a life member of that association in 1976.
As the 2014 season draws to a close spare a thought for those men and women who underpin our great game in the country regions of Victoria.
Ask any of the six field, eight boundary and four goal umpires who were axed from the finals campaign yesterday how tough selection is at this time of the season and they would all be happy to sit down with you and explain the cut throat nature of finals performances.