Holmes and Watson, Lennon and McCartney, Kirk and Spock, Lillee and Marsh. Great duos are littered throughout history, and often with profound impact. During Opening Round and Round One, we celebrate umpiring’s great duo of the day, Simon Meredith and Matt Stevic.
Can the two be considered a duo though? Well since they both debuted in round 2 of 2004, the pair have ushered in a new era of dominance at the top of umpiring’s ranks.
Since each umpired their first grand final in 2012, they’ve gone on to umpire a further seven together (2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024). Even before the two earned promotion to the AFL, they umpired the 2003 VFL grand final together.
Over their careers Meredith and Stevic joined on the field have umpired 54 games, more than any other pairing of field umpires.
It is then fitting that the two should reach their 500th game milestones so close together. A sentiment echoed by the AFL’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Dillon, to AFL media.
“Simon and Matt have both shown such dedication to the game, to see both Umpires reach 500 games after debuting in the same year and still be performing at such a high level is an unbelievable milestone, and a testament to their commitment to the craft.”
Meredith’s came in Opening Round last Friday. After walking onto the ground with his son, he commenced season 2025 with a perfect bounce in the middle of the SCG, 20 years, 10 months and 25 days after his career commenced.
Over that time, Meredith has umpired nine Grand Finals, 51 finals and 2 ANZAC day games. In 2022 he was honoured with an All-Australian blazer after an outstanding season in which he didn’t miss a game. At his most recent major achievement, the 2024 Grand Final, he became the oldest field umpire ever to be appointed to a Grand Final at 49 years 201 days.
Meredith’s towering career sprung from humble beginnings in the Southern Metro Junior Football League in 1989.
Matt Stevic and Simon Meredith, AFL Grand Final Field Umpires, pose for a photo during the 2024 AFL Grand Final Parade. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos)
Stevic began his career a few years later in 1991 with the West Gippsland Football League.
He would go on to become the single most successful umpire in the history of the game.
Matt Stevic’s list of achievements is staggering. Except for 2013, Stevic has umpired in every single Grand Final since 2012. That’s ten in a row. On top of this Stevic has been honoured with an All-Australian blazer nine times, and was awarded the AFLUA’s Bishop Shield twice, in 2015 and 2017.
In 2019, when Shaun Ryan broke Stevic’s record streak of five straight AA blazers, he accepted his award with surprise that he’d been able to wrest the award from Stevic’s strangle hold. In his acceptance speech he acknowledged that “Matt is without a doubt the best field umpire in the history of the game.”
Meredith and Stevic will join just two other AFL umpires to officiate 500 games. Current games record holder Brett Rosebury, who is on track to reach 550 in round 17, and Shane McInerney who was the first to reach the figure in 2019, and has since retired.
AFL’s Head of Officiating and AFLUA Life Member Steve McBurney expressed his congratulations to the pair to AFL Media.
“We applaud them on this amazing accomplishment and thank them for their contribution to our great game.”
Fellow 500 gamer Brett Rosebury, who achieved his in 2023, congratulated his colleagues on their exclusive milestone.
“Matt and Simon are both great umpires and even better mates. I’ve been luck to be umpiring with them for over 20 years and am wrapped they’ve reached this milestone. They have both been driven to success with hard work, resilience, and love of the game. Welcome to the 500 club.”
The AFLUA congratulates both Matt and Simon on their wonderful achievement and their continued contributions to the Association.
Article by Jackson Kerr