Field umpire, Matthew Leppard achieved a bitter-sweet milestone on Saturday at Box Hill when he umpired his 100th VFL match. Matthew has had an inconsistent season with only ten AFL appearances. Matthew is focused on regaining his spot on the AFL roster, he is training very hard and working to get his decision-making more consistent.
Field umpire, Jacob Mollison reached his 100 game milestone in Friday night’s blockbuster between Essendon and Hawthorn. Jacob, was promoted onto the AFL senior list in 2008 after a whirlwind career through the Albury umpires and the VFL. Jacob umpired the VFL senior grand finals in 2006 and 2007 and was only on the list for three years.
Field umpire Shane Stewart achieved his 100 game milestone in the Richmond v. Fremantle match on Sunday. Shane began his umpiring career in Tasmania in the Southern Tasmanian Football League umpiring his first VFL game as a 16 year old which, by today’s standards, is very young indeed. Shane followed his father, Wade into umpiring. Wade was a Statewide League goal umpire and upgraded into the VFL when Tasmania had a team in that competition.
One of the toughest gigs as an umpire on the AFL list is to be on the rotation list as an interstate goal umpire. WA based Brett Rogers notched up his 50th AFL game in the derby between WCE and Fremantle in his fifth year on the list. Brett was recruited from Swan Districts Juniors into the WAFL and onto the AFL Panel in 2009. Brett has had some very good success in the past 12 months having finished in the top 12 goal umpires and sitting as an emergency in last years finals and then umpired the 2013 NAB Cup Grand Final.
Adam Coote touched another milestone on the weekend when he umpired his 200th game when Richmond played St Kilda at the MCG.
At the halfway mark of the season some umpires are looking for a well earned respite break, even for one week, and if only for a mental release from the pressure that is AFL football. With only three umpires (Courtney Lai, Chris Gordon and Matthew Mckenzie) on the injury list, the umpiring department will take the opportunity to rest any umpire who is carrying any niggling injury or might be a little fatigued.
Justin Schmitt chalked up his 250th AFL game when Hawthorn played Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon. Justin would agree that over the past 18 months, he is in career best form, which included two finals in 2012.
Boundary umpire Nathan Doig celebrated his 150th AFL match on Friday night in an absolute thriller. Nathan, umpired his first AFL game in 2005 being promoted after two WAFL grand finals in ’03 and ’04. Nathan is a remedial massage therapist by occupation and looks after some of Australia’s premier athletes. Nathan umpired the 2011 AFL Grand Final.