Rising umpire numbers praised

The revival of umpiring stocks in the Great Southern has been praised by one of the AFL’s most senior field umpires on the eve of the new season.

Experienced AFL umpire Dean Margetts visited Albany last week in his role as the WA Football Commission’s umpiring development manager, spending time with junior umpires and the Great Southern Football League senior umpiring group last Wednesday.

WA Football Commission Great Southern regional football manager Tom Moir said Margetts was thrilled with the progression of the umpiring group from when he first visited in 2013.

Mr Moir said the work of Southern Districts Junior Football Association umpires co-ordinator Mel Benson and GSFL umpires manager Terry Eaton had been pivotal and the enthusiasm for umpiring and the attraction of former players to the profession was starting to be seen.

“In regards to the regions, we are going really well — numbers are going up,” he said. “We have gone to schools and clubs and it’s not just in Albany where we have seen this.”