This weekend's themed round is part of the 'Umpiring is Everyone's Business' campaign that aims to raise awareness of the important role umpires play at all levels of the game and helps create supportive environments for umpires at the grassroots level.
"I think the program that we're initiating today is outstanding," Hardwick said.
"I feel as an AFL industry that we can set a standard with regard to the way we develop our umpires.
"I feel as an AFL community we can still do more to promote the development of umpires although this is a terrific start. As far as we're concerned it should be umpire appreciation round every week.
"They do a terrific job."
AFL coaches Michael Voss, Rodney Eade and Peter Sumich have all umpired junior footy games in the past week to help promote the initiative.
As part of the themed round, AFL captains and coaches will meet umpires in the centre of each ground to shake hands and toss the coin at each game with the umpires to don green shirts in support of junior umpires learning the game.
"Thanks Ump round aims to encourage everyone in the community to have a positive impact on match day to assist with recruiting and retaining umpires, in particular, umpires at junior level who may wish to one day umpire at AFL level," Schwab said.
"Stuart Wenn is a fine example of an umpire making the pathway from grassroots footy to the AFL."
Hardwick and Wenn agreed the relationship between players, coaches and umpires was in excellent shape.
Wenn, who is approaching his 300th game milestone, said a lot had changed since he first started down the path to becoming an AFL umpire and said junior umpires must continue to be encouraged to develop their skills.
Schwab underlined the importance of the campaign in keeping up umpire retention rates and bringing new umpires into a game whose growth threatens to outstrip umpire numbers in coming years.
