AS THE AFL looks to step up its umpire participation at grassroots level, the League has appointed former Adelaide coach and Collingwood assistant Brenton Sanderson as its community umpiring development manager.
Sanderson departed the Magpies at the end of last year after five seasons at the club serving as an assistant to former coach Nathan Buckley.
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He had arrived at Collingwood after two years as head coach of the NAB AFL Academy, including leading the talent program on its training camps in America, having had three years as senior coach of Adelaide.
Sanderson coached the Crows between 2012-14, having previously been an assistant at Geelong, where he played 199 games between 1995-2005. He had also played a handful of games for Adelaide and Collingwood before arriving at Geelong.
He will now take on the umpiring position, with community umpiring will be a focus of the AFL this year after it revealed last week that it was 6000 umpires short at grassroots level heading into the season.
The League announced a crackdown on umpire abuse at the top level for this year, with more free kicks and 50-metre penalties set to be awarded for players who show any dissent about decisions.
It has asked clubs and players to "set the right example" in demonstrating respect towards umpires so that it filters down to all levels.
Former Essendon and Richmond head of football Dan Richardson last year stepped into the role as umpires boss of the AFL.