Umpiring
Media Release
Young gun umpires promoted to state league and talent comps
20 DEC 2023 BY: AFL VICTORIA
Four of the emerging Victorian umpires promoted to State League and Talent Pathway program in 2024: Kaileb Munro, Shaun Meredith, Asha Hinton and Adam Bailes
18 talented young Victorian umpires have earned promotion to the State League and Talent Pathways Program for the 2024 season.
All umpires who have been selected to progress to the next level and continue their umpiring journeys have been part of the V/Line Umpire Academy.
They have performed strongly in their community football competitions and at the 2023 V/Line Cup, the annual representative carnival which was this year held in Shepparton and is for the best under 15 girls and boys footballers from across country Victoria.
AFL Victoria Umpiring Education and Support Lead, David Harris, said: “On behalf of AFL Victoria I would like to congratulate this group of young, talented umpires for earning promotion to the State League and Talent Pathways Program for the 2024 season.
“Each umpire has worked hard on developing their craft and performed really well and it is great to see a strong group coming through the system. We look forward to seeing how they perform at the next level.”
In 2024, this batch of emerging umpires will officiate in Coates Talent League boys and girls matches as well as the rebel VFLW competition.
This year in Victoria there were more than 7,500 registered Australian rules football umpires officiating at various levels across the three disciplines - field, boundary and goal. This was up four per cent on 2022 and there was a greater proportion of women and girls involved in umpiring, 11 per cent of the total.
Even with these encouraging numbers, more umpires are needed as the game continues to grow and there has never been a better time to get involved in umpiring, with the support and pathway systems in place. To find out more about umpiring, visit https://play.afl/umpire
Victorian umpires promoted to State Leagues and Talent Pathway Program for 2024
Conor Ahmed - Goal (OE/YRUA)
Jenny Alley - Boundary (AFLNEB)
Joshua Aydin - Goal (EDFL)
Adam Bailes - Field (VAFA)
Mitch Bellingham - Boundary (VAFA)
Katie Gillespie - Goal (VAFA)
Josh Hamilton - Field (VAFA)
Asha Hinton - Boundary (VAFA)
Finn Horan - Boundary (VAFA)
Brett Lynch - Field (NFNL)
Aidan McDonald - Boundary (VAFA)
Shaun Meredith - Goal (EFNL)
Kaileb Monro - Field (EFNL)
Jack Seymour - Field (VAFA)
Cody Tudor - Boundary (EFNL)
Sarah Vanderschoot - Field (SFNL)
Luke Walley - Boundary (AFLSE/SUA)
Tim Wood - Goal (VAFA)
