Umpire academy names first crop of graduates
As umpires gear up for the 2023 season, a select group of community football umpires were informed of an early Christmas present in mid-December.
The V/Line Community Umpire Talent Academy in Victoria has produced its first crop of ‘graduates’, with 46 umpires promoted to officiate at Victorian state league level in 2023 - VFL, VFLW, NAB League Boys and NAB League Girls. The crop includes four females – one each in the field and boundary groups, and two goal umpires.
After the first full season of community football since 2019, the V/Line Community Umpire Talent Academy provided 100 umpires the opportunity to officiate the best under 15 boys and girls from country Victoria in the V/Line Cup in September, where state league umpire coaches from all three disciplines – field, boundary and goal – attended to scout out the next batch of state league umpires.
From there, the graduates were selected, with 14 umpire clubs in total represented with an even split of seven each from the metropolitan and country regions, highlighting the importance and success of having a program that offers equal opportunity no matter where you live.
Congratulations to the following umpires and their umpire clubs and good luck to everyone on your pursuits in season 2023.
If you would like to stay or get fit, meet new friends, understand the game better, or get paid for being involved, head to play.afl/umpire to find out how to get involved.
BOUNDARY UMPIRES (Name - Academy / Umpire Club)
Shaylee Anderson - Bendigo / AFL Central Victoria
Michael Court - Bendigo / AFL Central Victoria
Lachlan Bezzina - Calder / Essendon District FL
Ryan Brown - Dandenong / AFL South East
Thomas Kreun - Dandenong / AFL South East
Oliver Pratt - Dandenong / AFL South East
Daniel Molino - Eastern / Outer East
Daniel Mortlock - Eastern / Eastern FNL
Ryan Pulley - Eastern / Eastern FNL
Ben Tingiri - Geelong / AFL Barwon
Solomon Miesen - GWV / Ballarat Umpires
Ashlee Ball - Murray / AFL Goulburn Murray
Luke Gonis - Northern / Northern FNL
Nicholas Bahr - Oakleigh / VAFA
Benjamin Myatt - Oakleigh / VAFA
Vo Schofield - Oakleigh / VAFA
Angus Cameron - Western / Western Region FL
Lachlan Smith - Western / Western Region FL
FIELD UMPIRES (Name - Academy / Umpire Club)
Liam Dye - Calder / Essendon District FL
Cooper Marriott - Dandenong / AFL South East
Oliver Pearce - GWV / Ballarat Umpires
Brock Reid - GWV / Ballarat Umpires
James Meek - Murray / AFL Goulburn Murray
Jai Smith - Murray / AFL Goulburn Murray
Callum Walton - Murray / AFL North East Border
Ned Welsh - Northern / Northern FNL
Jonathan Clark - Oakleigh / VAFA
Campbell Hymans - Oakleigh / VAFA
Ben Lefebvre - Oakleigh / VAFA
Harry Warmington - Oakleigh / VAFA
Douglas Haworth - Sandringham / Southern FNL, SMJFL
Christopher Menara - Sandringham / Southern FNL, SMJFL
Samantha Ritchie - Sandringham / Southern FNL, SMJFL
Scott Simpson - Sandringham / Southern FNL, SMJFL
Michael Whelan - Sandringham / Southern FNL, SMJFL
Jeremy Zhou - Sandringham / Southern FNL, SMJFL
Shannon Van Boven - Western / Western Region FL
Jenna Green - Calder / Essendon District FL
GOAL UMPIRES (Name - Academy / Umpire Club)
Issa Mikhael - Calder / Essendon District FL
Nathan Dugdale - Eastern / Eastern FNL
Jack Kennedy - Eastern / Outer East
Alex Tomada - Eastern / Outer East
Dylan Wood - Eastern / Eastern FNL
Zak Kenny - Gippsland / Gippsland UA
Bryce Barker - Murray / AFL Goulburn Murray
Jackson Mansell - Northern / Northern FNL
Lachlan Higgins - Oakleigh / VAFA
Jake Penny - Oakleigh / VAFA
Courtney Stelling - Sandringham / Southern FNL, SMJFL
Bradley Heffernan-Benfield - Western / Western Region FL
