The AFL is pleased to announce the promotion of 18 umpires to the 2025 Senior AFL Umpires lists, including the addition of seven female umpires and two male umpires to rookie positions in their respective disciplines.
Field umpires Jordyn Pearson (Victoria) and Gabby Simmonds (West Australia) join the list as rookies, with Simmonds having made her NAB AFLW Grand Final debut on Saturday and Pearson having umpired the 2022 NAB AFLW Grand Final.
Victorians Kaitlin Barr, Greta Miller and Melissa Sambrooks will take up rookie positions on the AFL Boundary umpires list. Barr was boundary umpire in Saturday’s Grand Final whilst Miller is the most experienced female boundary umpire with 67 State League Games under her belt as well as the 2023 NAB AFLW Grand Final. Sambrooks was named AFLW Umpire Rising Star in 2023.
Georgia Henderson (Victoria) and Emilie Hill (South Australia) have been named as the rookie goal umpires with Henderson having been goal umpire in her second NAB AFLW Grand Final on Saturday. Hill is an experienced goal umpire having umpired in the 2023 NAB AFLW Grand Final and was also the 2023 AFLW All Australian goal umpire.
Victoria’s Jack Howard has been elevated to the senior field umpires list, with South Australia’s Sam Morgan and Victorian Joel Clamp joining the field umpire rookie list.
West Australia’s Jaco Jansen Van Rensberg joins the boundary umpire senior list along with Queensland’s Adrian Pretorius and South Australia’s Ben Williams. Victoria has three additions to the boundary umpire senior list including John Cooper who has umpired more than 200 State League matches. He will be joined by Anthony Laughton and Lachlan Menara.
Two further goal umpires have been promoted to the senior list – Braden Ford (South Australia) and Luke Monea (Victoria) - both with more than 100 State League games under their belts.
AFL Head of O8iciating Stephen McBurney said the reintroduction of the rookie list is an exciting opportunity for the umpires selected.
“This year we had the highest representation of females on our AFLW list, representing 32 percent of this season’s panel which is a 9 percent increase on 2023,” said Mr McBurney.
“This is significant progress, but we want to see more female umpires promoted to AFL Senior lists and when they are we want to ensure they can thrive at the AFL level.
“The rookie appointments will mean these seven talented female umpires train throughout the year with the senior AFL list umpires.
“All of these umpires have graduated from the AFL’s elite transition program and they will continue to umpire in the WAFL, SANFL and VFL competitions as well as AFLW.
“We have seen a 30 percent growth nationally for women and girls at the community level which illustrates women’s umpiring is going from strength to strength at both the elite and community level.
McBurney was thrilled to confirm senior list elevations.
“In addition to the rookie list we are thrilled to elevate a further nine umpires to the senior list.
“These umpires have a wealth of State League experience, including multiple Grand Finals and honours in the NAB AFLW Competition.
“The umpires who have been promoted to the senior list will be eligible for appointment to the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership matches next year.”
All umpires promoted to the 2025 rookie lists will participate in the weekly training sessions with their respective AFL senior lists, participate in AFL match day experiences, be assigned AFL umpire mentors and have a focus on transitional support to AFL Senior list positions into the future.
This year the AFL also launched the Women in Umpiring Accelerator program which supports women currently umpiring in a state league or U18 talent pathway competition across the country. This program currently has 40 women from across field, boundary, and goal umpiring disciplines.
In the community space, Women and Girls Experience Hubs were rolled out across the country for the first time this year. The hubs created a supportive environment for women and girls to come together and learn more about umpiring. The hubs were run by women which included women now officiating in the AFL and AFLW competitions.
