What a contrasting set of semi finals we witnessed last weekend. One game was an open and fast affair, while the latter was a dour, tough contest with spot fires breaking out everywhere. Umpires – field, boundary and goal were put to the test. As we head into preliminary final week, the final names have emerged.
Goal umpire, Chris Appleton comes into the preliminary final replacing Steve Williams who will sit on the bench in the WCE v Nth Melbourne game, which leaves Chris sharing the duties with Luke Walker, Adam Wojcik and David Dixon.
Back into the preliminary finals come four boundary umpires who had last weekend off, Ian Burrows, Nathan Doig, Michael Marantelli and Chris Gordon. They join the best of the semi finals umpires, Matthew Tomkins, Rob Haala, Brett Dalgleish and Michael Saunders. Seven of the eight remaining boundary umpires have grand final experience with only Brett Dalgleish who makes his first preliminary final yet to taste the ultimate success.
The selectors have made one change to the field umpires panel with Scott Jeffery being replaced by three time grand final umpire, Simon Meredith. Two umpires make their preliminary final debut Dean Margetts and Jeff Dalgleish. They join grand final umpires Brett Rosebury, Matt Stevic, Ray Chamberlain and Simon Meredith in the final six and their hopes for another crack at a grand final.
David Dixon moved into equal second position on the all time goal umpires list of games equal with Craig Clark on 334. Brett Rosebury continues his stellar finals career moving into equal 4th on the all time finals list with Scott McLaren with 34 finals. This equates to one final for every 9.7 games Brett has umpired. With both umpires appointed this coming weekend they will move into outright places. David is now only 3 games behind David Flegg’s all time record of 337 games.
We wish all of our umpires the best of luck for the coming weekend.