AFL General Manager Football Operations Mark Evans today announced four new members of the AFL Laws of the Game Committee, after a number of resignations and retirements through the course of the off-season.

Mr Evans said newly-appointed AFL National Umpiring Director Wayne Campbell and AFL Umpiring Coach Hayden Kennedy, former West Coast premiership captain and premiership coach John Worsfold and Collingwood premiership player Michael Christian would join the panel immediately, replacing the retiring Kevin Bartlett, Jeff Gieschen and Rowan Sawers. Separately, Peter Schwab had resigned from the committee after taking up his role with the Brisbane Lions football department.

Evans said he wished to thank each of the departing committee members for the time and service they had given to discussions and considerations around the Laws process, in particular Hall of Fame Legend Kevin Bartlett, who was retiring from his role after 20 years of service from 1994-2013.

Gieschen and Sawers, who retired from their roles with the AFL late last year, had also given a combined 30 years of service to umpiring and the Laws’ process, while Schwab had brought his experience as a premiership player and senior coach with Hawthorn, as well as his time with the AFL as a former AFL Umpiring Director, to his position.

“On behalf of the AFL, I wish to sincerely thank Kevin, Jeff, Rowan and Peter for their enormous contribution to the discussions around the Laws process,” Mr Evans said.

“Our game relies on the experience and wisdom of many different views to consider the future direction of our game, and ensure we retain our sport as an exciting, contested game that contains wonderful highlights that can’t be seen in any other sport in the world, and continues to allow all sizes and shapes to play in a safe environment, within the bounds of a contact sport.

“I am extremely pleased that John Worsfold and Michael Christian – both premiership players in their on-field careers – have accepted the invitation to join the Laws committee, while Wayne Campbell and Hayden Kennedy will step onto the panel as the senior staff of the AFL umpiring department,” he said.

The Laws Committee comprises: Mark Evans (Chairman), Joel Bowden, Brett Burton, Wayne Campbell, Michael Christian, Rodney Eade, Tom Harley, Hayden Kennedy, Leigh Matthews, Michael Sexton, John Worsfold and Beau Waters.

Separately, former Richmond champion Matthew Richardson has joined the All Australian selection Panel.

Ends

Patrick Keane

AFL Media Manager