But according to outgoing AFL umpires coach Rowan Sawers, the biggest change of all has been the ability for umpires to communicate with each other on the ground.
"Communication on the ground has assisted the umpires to work as a team," Sawers told AFL.com.au.
Umpires now carry earpieces and speaking devices so they can talk to each other during games and make calls off the ball and spot behind the play incidents that the controlling umpire may have missed.
"It means they are always umpiring and working together with the emergency umpires to get the best result for football, and that's the biggest change I have seen," Sawers said.
"Communication devices certainly help that."
Similarly from the viewpoint of the football fan, Sawers said miking up the umpires for match broadcasts and making available the annual laws of the game DVD to the football public had been wise moves.
"The more we can educate the fans about what a free kick is and educate commentators to assist the fans - the more we do that, the better our job is. The DVD assists with that process and we get a better result."
Sawers finished up with the AFL last week, ending an association with the League stretching back to 1977 when a St Kilda-South Melbourne clash at Moorabbin marked his first senior game.
Sawers retired as an AFL umpire in 1997 and immediately became a full-time umpires coach and since 2000 has worked under umpiring manager Jeff Gieschen.
Gieschen will also be leaving his position with the AFL at the end of the month and, according to Sawers, his effect on the game has been profound.
"From the period we have been involved together Jeff and myself, there are a number of changes we've implemented that have all had a significant contribution on umpiring and how we go about it," he said.
Rowan Sawers watches the toss of the coin between Tony Shaw and Tim Watson at the start of the 1990 Grand Final. Picture: AFL Media
"Jeff has played a huge role. What he has done for umpires and what he has done to change the culture of umpiring, he has been a huge person behind the scenes. His support for umpires and his long list of achievements signifies the effort he has put in."
Like any coach, Sawers has enjoyed watching young umpires enter the system and work their way through to the pinnacle of the game. He cited Brett Rosebury as one such example - a young man who entered the system as a 19-year-old and is now a six-time Grand Final umpire.
Sawers umpired four Grand Finals – 1982, 1984, 1987 and 1990 – and said it usually comes as no surprise that the premiership decider is always the best umpired game of the year.
"Grand Final day is the pinnacle. It's great to know you have the game but then it has to be umpired. You have to go out and do the job.
"I think the umpires go out and they really want to nail the Grand Final. They work as a team, but it features the best two teams for the season and they don’t go out and give away silly free kicks. The umpires do a terrific job."
Sawers wants to remain in umpiring in some capacity, but leaves the AFL believing the role and importance of umpiring in football has been elevated, thanks to the respect and responsibility campaigns instigated over the last few years.
"It's hard to retain and recruit umpires and we have to understand and respect the role of umpires at the grass roots level all the way through to the AFL," he said.
"I think that is really important."
