Almanac Footy (Umpiring): Unexpected debut….Why did I agree to this again?

 

 

I’ve heard many stories about how those in line for a debut end up getting a late call up but each one of these has to do with playing the game. Heck, my playing debut in Senior footy in 2001 was much like that, basically being asked at 3/4 time of the Reserves if I wanted to back up and play in the main game straight afterwards. This tale, however, is a little different, and refers to senior men’s umpiring. There is an emphasis on senior men’s because I’ve handled many youth boys (Under 13.5-17.5) matches since 2007, including a handful of finals matches during the pandemic years (the $40 earned was enough for post-match Red Rooster). I’ve handled senior women’s matches, often solo, since the competition in Capricornia started in earnest just over a decade ago. At the start of the year there were also Youth Girls (Under 15s, modified rules with a shortened field) to fill which naturally fell my way with a lack of options in the umpiring ranks (standard was surprisingly decent, I expected to have to play coach and babysitter but it ended up being far from that). Yet in the 4th round of the 2023 season held on Saturday May 13, I ended up getting a call-up totally unexpected but born from a desperation from a lack of numbers able to do senior matches.

The call came the previous night when ground preparations were underway to ensure Brothers home game vs Gladstone would go reasonably smoothly. It was just before 5.00pm trying to patch up a damp spot in the spectator area when the club umpiring co-ordinator got a call from the league’s umpiring head looking for an umpire to officiate the Panthers vs Yeppoon clash the next evening. In desperation and knowing my playing spot was looked after with those employed in the mines available for the home match, I agreed to fill in the breach. I actually could have done this a fortnight earlier but transportation issues and the prospect of having to fill in against Yeppoon (which was avoided) ended those plans. But with the match being based in Rockhampton and thinking it would be easy to get from ground to ground that wouldn’t be such an issue.

Come game day there were still commitments to other games at our home ground that I would need to fulfil, as well as informing the Reserves coach that I wasn’t going to be available for the game that afternoon to play. There weren’t too many issues getting through the full Under 13s game, nor the 2nd half of the Youth Girls match which I controlled after the umpire in the first half was required to prepare to play Under 17s; in that match I would wave the flags, at least giving me time to consume some fluids. Everything was looking fine as I left Kele Park just before half-time of the Reserves to wait for my ride to arrive to take me across town to the Cricket Grounds. And wait I did…..for the best part of 30 minutes which did nothing for the anxiety.

Arrived at the ground during the first quarter of the women’s match between the sides (which ended being an upset win to the home side, a result reversed on Grand Final day), where I met one of the colleagues who at least knew of my last minute appointment but not of the 3rd member of the crew. He’d then proceed to roll his ankle getting down from the small grandstand as it was approaching time to get prepared. Again that did nothing for the nerves knowing that I may have to shoulder more of the burden in the middle zone rather than being at an end for much of the day. At this point it should be noted that this match would be the first that I’d umpired under the 3-umpire system ever. Most games I’d officiated in was done with 2 umpires taking half of the ground each, or as usually happens one umpire throws it up, sees it get cleared to the end where my colleague is stationed, then wait for the next goal. Fortunately it would work out that I’d take an end zone at least to start with to somewhat get used to the pace.

There were flashpoints that made the game a little harder to handle at times considering the dominant position of Yeppoon through the opening term. The half-time siren sounds on the wing in front of the John Broad Stand and some of the Panthers players, after a frustrating half, decided to get a little physical. I do recall in the aftermath that there were some complaints from Yeppoon players about getting hit by someone, but my mind was focused on another part of the ruckus so I had to explain to them that I couldn’t back up their allegations given my eyes were trained elsewhere. The game did tighten up later on although one Panthers player in the final quarter ended up in my bad books, constantly complaining about a decision, which eventually I just had to deal with via a Yellow Card. Boy, that dissent rule felt easy to understand from my perspective!

The game passed without any further incident before it was time for the most important part of the job….the all important Bernie Gottke Medal votes. Usually when determining Best and Fairest votes in Youth grades, the hardest part was actually working out which number the player wore, although usually 3-4 players would stand out making the process relatively simple. Of course as the season progresses the more conscious I’d become of making sure the best players on the day got votes rather than giving votes to what appeared to be contenders. We would sit down post-match for the best part of 15 minutes, quickly ruling out all of the Panthers players from the votes, then settling on the trio from the winning Swans outfit without elongated discussion. By the time it was 7:30pm the crew of 3 field umpires and 2 goal umpires (home club in regular season usually provides the boundaries, and by the time we’re in the rooms consulting each other over votes they’re normally pestering their parents to buy whatever food is remaining at the canteen) had dispersed to return to Yeppoon to their residences or, in my case, to Red Rooster given I hadn’t eaten anything all day which was normal on a game day for me regardless of whether I was playing or officiating.

By the end of the season I’d appear with the whistle in the senior game twice more, basically as a fill-in to ensure a three umpire system, as well as umpiring several more Youth games and a couple of Senior women’s games directly after playing Reserve grade, which mentally I could handle but physically required me to use whatever energy I had wisely. Again I still couldn’t get used to operating as a trio, even if I was comfortable with the physical and knowledge  requirements. Not sure if next year I’m going to combine playing and umpiring commitments given that I’m about to notch up another decade on the biological clock and it’s difficult to maintain the physical requirements to do both effectively, whilst at the same time continue running marathons and nursing issues with my groins.

 

To read more by Mick Jeffrey click HERE.

 

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About Mick Jeffrey

39 Year Old, 16 year Bulldogs. over 280 combined senior/reserves appearances for Brothers AFC in AFL Capricornia. 26 time Marathon finisher, three time Ultra Marathon finisher and three time Comrades Marathon competitor (though not finisher yet).

Comments

  1. roger lowrey says

    Great work Mick. More footballers and ex footballers should give umpiring a go.

    It’s a pity no one seems to be able to quite work out a suitable way of making all this happen. Maybe the crowds and the hangers on really are more toxic these days than they were in years gone by.

    A great shame as when I did it for about five years back in the 1980s the players, the clubs and the umpiring fraternity were all very supportive. I hope you keep at it mate.

    RDL

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