Mark ‘Thomo’ Thomson has announced he is retiring, and his last game will be this Sunday – Adelaide v North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval.
Mark made his debut back in Round One, 1996 when he officiated the Adelaide v Sydney game at Football Park. He went on to umpire 437 AFL games (end of R.22) and is the current record holder for a boundary umpire in the history of the VFL/AFL. His tally also places him 4th on the overall list of VFL/AFL games umpired behind 3 field umpires.
Thomo’s game tally includes 36 AFL finals and 6 AFL Grand Finals in 2009, 2010, 2010 Replay, 2011, 2014 and 2018. He was the emergency grand final boundary umpire in 2005 and 2008. He was All-Australian Boundary Umpire in 2011 and 2014.
Mark has also umpired International Rules series matches in 1999, 2001, 2005 and 2017, the 2006 pre-season grand final and he toured England in 2003 and Shanghai in 2010 to umpire post season exhibition matches. He has also umpired 3 Anzac Day matches.
Mark was presented with his AFLUA Life Membership in 2009. He was awarded the Murray Williams Shield in 2011, voted by his peers as the best boundary umpire both on and off the field in that year.
Congratulations Mark on an outstanding career. Have a great game on Sunday!!!