Jul 23, 2026 | Where Are They Now?
Many of the field umpires who were promoted onto the Olympic Park track would recognise my next statement. In the first conversation you would have with coach Alan Nash, he would respond by saying, “Do you want to be a League umpire or a Test cricketer? If the...
Jul 21, 2026 | Where Are They Now?
If anyone could truly sell ice to Eskimos, as the old saying goes, it would have to be the subject of my next ‘where are they now?’, Jim ‘Chappy’ Chapman. Not only did Jim have a successful umpiring career (more on that later), but he spent most of his working life as...
Jun 9, 2026 | Where Are They Now?
Money, Money, Money… no it’s not the 1976 ABBA song, it’s the VFLUA Treasurer who looked after our finances in a professional manner. Yes I speak of David ’Flags’ Mitchell, heritage goalie 178 who for 8 years controlled the Association’s books. With...
Jun 4, 2026 | Where Are They Now?
I feel for the subject of my next ‘Where are they now’, as coming from a football family Michael John Hafey would have found it hard to follow his elder brothers. No matter where Michael would go his eldest brother Tommy’s name would come up; not to mention the second...
Apr 16, 2026 | Where Are They Now?
Boy, is there some history happening with my next “Where Are They Now”. It was at the home of Paul Anthony “Sal” Serong that the umpires held a meeting when they withdrew their services in pursuit of a better pay deal. As Paul was President of the VFLUA at the time,...
Feb 19, 2026 | Where Are They Now?
An umpire who, if chased by cheetahs, would leave them in his wake is just the umpire who is my next ‘Where Are They Now’ participant. Allan ‘Cookie’ Cook took on umpiring in Mildura, inspired by his two older brothers and his father, Charlie. Charlie,...
