Ian Burrows’s resume must surely be one of the most impressive ever held by a boundary umpire. His 10 AFL Grand Finals puts him third on the all-time record list, while 44 finals is the second-most of all time. His first Grand Final came in his third year on the list (2008) while his most recent was in 2023. Alongside his finals’ records, Burrows has been on the AFL Leadership Group, the AFLUA Executive and has on multiple occasions won both the AFL and AFLUA’s top honours – the All-Australian Umpire and the Murray Williams Shield for the umpire of the year. He was honoured with AFLUA Life Membership in 2015. Prior to the AFL, Burrows began his career in the Yarra Valley, umpiring two Grand Finals, before he was promoted to the VFL where he umpired four Grand Finals in four years.
Throughout his career, Burrows has participated in numerous programs to help the development of up-and-coming umpires. This has included everything from working as an ambassador for local umpiring associations to coaching the country’s best young male and female umpires at national carnivals. He also takes a strong interest in off-field affairs and has been involved in various AFL and AFLUA initiatives such as a former mentoring program for young adults with Down Syndrome. Burrows’s consistency, excellence and experience has well and truly earned him the respect of his colleagues.
Away from football, Burrows is an editor and journalist at the ABC in Melbourne. His work mainly focuses on news from across the Asia-Pacific region and has seen him recognised at the state’s top journalism awards. He also has a strong interest in athletics and professional running and is a two-time winner over the 2 mile at the prestigious Stawell Gift.
