For the first time in AFLW history three female umpires will officiate a Grand Final when they take to the field for the NAB AFLW Grand Final on Sunday at IKON Park.
Goal umpires Emilie Hill and Georgia Henderson along with boundary umpire Greta Miller have been selected for their first Grand Final appearance and form part of the nine-strong umpiring panel.
The trio will also be joined by field umpires Joel Clamp, Matt Adams, Samuel Nippress and boundary umpires Adrian Pretorius, Jaco Jansen van Rensburg and Dominic Schiliro, while Gabby Simmonds has been named as the emergency field umpire.
It's been a big week for Hill who also made history on Monday night when she became the first female umpire to be named an AFLW All Australian umpire, while fellow goal umpire Henderson, who hails from Adelaide, was awarded the inaugural AFLW Umpire Rising Star in 2022 and has appeared across all four weeks of the 2023 finals series.
An experienced boundary umpire with six seasons under her belt, Miller became the first female and just the third umpire overall to reach the 50-game milestone in the AFLW.
AFL's General Manager of Umpiring Lisa Lawry congratulated the umpires selected to officiate this weekend's NAB AFLW Grand Final.
"I'd like to congratulate all nine umpires who have been appointed to officiate the NAB AFL Grand Final on Sunday – it's a huge achievement and they should all be incredibly proud," Lawry said.
"It's wonderful to see three female umpires in the line-up for the first time in the competition's history and it's a testament to the hard work and dedication they have applied to their craft over a long period of time.
"The AFL continues to increase its level of investment to ensure we're developing the next generation of female umpires, and this is coming to fruition with female umpires making up 30 per cent of the AFLW list this season – doubled from last year.
"On behalf of the AFL I'd like to wish the umpires all the best for Sunday and hope they enjoy this Grand Final experience."
Hill said she was looking forward to officiating her first Grand Final, especially with her female counterparts.
"It means so much to be rewarded for my efforts this season. I think for me this year I was really happy with how I was going, but I never expected to go this far as there are many talented umpires involved in AFLW," she said.
"Now it's started to sink in, I'm just so excited to get out there on Sunday and soak up the atmosphere and see what the two sides can bring. The finals series this year has been nothing short of thrilling, and I think the Grand Final will be no different.
"When I found out the other umpires on the GF panel I was super pumped to see three other females listed. Georgie Henderson will be in the goals with me, Greta Miller running the boundary and Gabby Simmonds as the emergency field umpire.
"This week I've been reflecting back on the start of my umpiring journey where it was super uncommon to see a female umpire, and to now have four females involved on Sunday it's just amazing!
"When I was younger I looked up to the likes of Chelsea Roffey, Sally Boud and Eleni Tee and it made me feel like anything was possible, so I hope on Sunday there are a few young girls that realise they too can reach the top level if they want.
"It's also extra special to be umpiring with Georgie as we've been friends even before she started umpiring, so it's been fantastic to watch her success over the years and share this special experience on Sunday together."
The NAB AFLW Grand Final takes place between the Brisbane Lions and the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos at 2:30pm AEDT on Sunday at IKON Park.
Full Umpire Panel for the 2023 NAB AFLW Grand Final
Field Umpires: Joel Clamp, Matt Adams, Samuel Nippress
Boundary Umpires: Adrian Pretorius, Jaco Jansen van Rensburg, Dominic Schiliro, Greta Miller
Goal Umpires: Emilie Hill, Georgia Henderson
Emergency Field Umpire: Gabby Simmonds
Emergency Boundary Umpire: Ryan Hickey
Emergency Goal Umpire: Jack Stammers
