The AFL and broader football industry across the country will celebrate Community Umpiring Week during Round Nine of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
Community Umpiring Week highlights the integral role umpires play at all levels of the game, encourages people to consider getting into umpiring and promotes the importance of respect for umpires.
There are nearly 15,000 umpires registered in community football around Australia in 2023 across the three umpiring disciplines - field, boundary and goal umpiring - with more needed to cater for the game’s growth.
The following is occurring over the next few weeks:
- AFL umpires at Round Nine matches will be led on to the ground by community umpires, giving local league umpires a taste of an AFL match-day experience
- Around 90 AFL-listed field, boundary and goal umpires will attend community umpiring training sessions across the country
- AFL umpires will officiate junior community football matches alongside developing community umpires
AFL Executive General Manager Game Development, Rob Auld, said: “Community Umpiring Week has been really successful in recent years in raising awareness around the importance of umpires from grassroots through to elite and getting community umpires connected with umpires at the elite level.
“There are nearly 15,000 umpires registered in community football across the country and while that number is strong, we are expecting more registrations this year and need more umpires to cater for the game’s growth.
“On behalf of the AFL I would like to thank and recognise everyone involved in umpiring at all levels of the game. Without umpires, there is no game and it’s a fantastic way to be involved in football, regardless of age, gender or cultural background.
“There are many benefits to umpiring including fitness, employment, life skills and a deeper understanding of Australian football, while anyone who gets involved will be part of a system with training, pathway and support mechanisms that have been strengthened and enhanced.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about umpiring and potentially giving it a go, please visit umpire.afl
Toyota AFL Premiership Season Round Nine – Community Umpire Match Day Experience umpiring groups:
FRIDAY 12 MAY
Richmond v Geelong - MCG, 7:20pm
Community umpiring group: AFL Goulburn Murray
Angus Williams
Benji Carfoot
Will Addicott
Will Walshe
Dylan DeMaria
Brianna Plemming
Elle Plemming
Jimmy Moran
West Coast v Gold Coast - Optus Stadium, 6:40pm
Community umpiring group: South Fremantle Juniors
Bryce Grey
Nick Cutri
Tanya Prentice
Balin Mcloud
Heath Wilson
Jazmine Williams
SATURDAY 13 MAY
Sydney v Fremantle - SCG, 1:45pm
Community umpiring group: Sydney City East, Northern Beaches & North West Umpire Clubs
Lewis Sylvester
Tara Coopman
Brent Trewin
Josh Smith
CJ Ward
Jules Cockerill
North Melbourne v Port Adelaide - Blundstone Arena, 2:10pm
Community umpiring group: Tasmanian Football Umpires Association
Angus Percey
Angela Holland
Tom Groom
Oliver Morgan
Mitch Harwood
April Davey
Hawthorn v Melbourne - MCG, 4:35pm
Community umpiring group: AFL Barwon / Geelong Umpires Association
Xavier Monahan
Dylan Atkins
Niamh Nolan
Grayson Hyde
Sonny Rutley
Ryan Tolley
Reuben Cook
Robert Schuller
Hollie Smith
Brisbane v Essendon - Gabba, 7:25pm
Community umpiring group: South-East Queensland Youth Umpires
Opal Jones
Mali Stoker
Bailey Johnsson
Lucas Cosmi
Mark McKenzie
Hayden Johnson
Carlton v Western Bulldogs - Marvel Stadium, 7:30pm
Community umpiring group: Gippsland Umpires Association
Rykin Moore
Carmen Stuckey
Josh Lee
Ben Courts
Zaiden West
Andre Elliot
Campbell Moore
Kohen Lott-Stephens
SUNDAY 14 MAY
Adelaide v St Kilda - Adelaide Oval, 1:10pm
Community umpiring group: Barossa & Light Football League
Blake Harpain
Charlie Collins
Dallas Riches
Logan Riches
Oliver Barrass
Isaac Barrass
Ryan Prentice
Matthew Northcott
Collingwood v GWS Giants - MCG, 4:40pm
Community umpiring group: Yarra Ranges Umpires Association
Zac Thomson
Indianah Hayes
Abigail Pilther
Skye Spencley
Olive Kelly
Chloe Siddall
Jason McNiece
Scott Rainey
In 2022, the AFL announced it has enshrined an increased minimum level of annual funding in community football of 10 per cent of the game’s revenue annually. In 2023 this is resulting an immediate uplift of an extra $17 million going to game development, from $50 million last year to $67 million in 2023. This will directly benefit all areas of the grassroots game, including umpiring.
