February 2014 AFL North East Border Umpiring News Umpire Training each Tuesday and Thursday Night starting at 6.00pm Albury/Wodonga Group at Wodonga Senior Secondary College Wangaratta Group at Norm Minns Oval The AFLNEB Umpires Mixing with the AFL Umpires Five AFL North East Border umpires were giv- through an overview of the physical prepara- en the opportunity to meet the AFL umpires pre tion expected to umpire at AFL level. -match at the Richmond and Collingwood AFL The umpires were invited by the AFL Umpires NAB Challenge match played at Norm Minns to join them on the field during their pre-game Oval at Wangaratta on Saturday, 22 February warm up with the boundary umpires throwing 2014. the ball the ball in with the AFL guys. AFL North East Border Umpires Ashley The five umpires where also invited back to the Broughton, Jason Raine, Jeremy Henderson, umpires change rooms after the match to see Georgia Ralph and Jakob Elvin were given the the processes that the umpires go through in opportunity to see how the AFL umpires pre- recovering from a match. pared for the match. All umpires enjoyed the experience and saw Simon Meredith, 2012 & 2013 AFL Grand Final first hand how fit the umpires are at this level. Field Umpire, spoke with the field umpires and Hopefully it may inspire a few to push them- answered gave an overview of what it take to selves to reach the elite level. umpire at the elite level. AFLNEB Umpire Jeremy Hender- The AFLNEB Umpiring Department is thankful son on the field with AFL Bound- Chris Gordon, 2011 AFL Grand Final Boundary of the AFL for providing this opportunity for ary Umpire Chris Gordon during Umpire, spoke with the boundary umpires on the pre-game warm up Community Umpiring Groups. his preparation before the match and went Matt Stevic to be at AFLNEB Umpires Training 2012 AFL Grand Final Field Umpire, Matt AFLNEB Panel Umpires from both the Albury/ Stevic, will be visiting the North East Border Wodonga and Wangaratta Groups will be involved in Umpiring Group on Tuesday, 4th March the session. 2014. Stevic will conduct a short training Any other umpire from the region is welcome to at- session and present to the umpiring group tend. This will be a great opportunity for all umpires his story of making it to the elite level of the to get an insight to the expectations of umpires at game as an umpire. AFL level and ask questions regarding match prepa- This session will be held at the Wodonga ration, training, the umpire career path and anything Senior Secondary College from 6pm. All else on umpiring at the elite level. 2014 Umpire Partners AFL North East Border Umpiring New Era of Fitness for the AFLNEB Umpiring Group The numbers on the training track have been good so far in 2014 with an average of 60 each Goal Umpires night across the venues at Wangaratta and 1. Michelle Downie 880m Albury/Wodonga. 2. Caitlin Miller 440m Matt Glossop has been conducting fitness 30/15 Test (level completed) BJ Smith training in the past few weeks with the group. Field Umpires Fundraiser Dinner It was good to see the determination of all in- volved in the testing and the encouragement of 1. Graeme Hughes 17.5 Saturday 8th March fellow umpires on the side to ensure the last 2. Ashley Broughton 17.0 Kinross Woolshed runners maximized their performance. 3. Joe Knight 16.5 6.30pm List of the top performing umpires in each test 4. Don Wilkinson, Chris Tulk, Wayne Lovett & Guest Speakers were; Dave Harrison 16.0 Jacob Mollison Six-Minute Run (distance covered) Boundary Umpires Mark Foster Field Umpires 1. Will Thomas 18.5 Silent Auction during 1. Ashley Broughton, Graeme Hughes & 2. Masange Runezerwa 18.0 the Night Jason Raine 1500m 3. Jeremy Henderson, Nick Barr, Matthew 2. Joe Knight 1490m Hughes & Sam Magee 16.5 Cost: Adult $100 Under 18 $50 3. Beau Withers 1450m 4. Tim Whitehead & Ged Palmer 16.0 Dress: Smart Casual 4. Danny Grima 1430m Goal Umpires Boundary Umpires 1. Norm Maclure & Symon Tardrew 13.5 More Information: [email protected] 1. Masange Runezerwa 1900m 2. Michelle Downie & Mark Hogan 13.0 2. Sean Wilson 1620m 3. Caitlin Miller 10.0 3. Ryley Patford 1540m A training program suitable to each fitness group will be developed from this testing to 4. Tim Whitehead 1510m provide the best fitness preparation for all um- 5. Nat Grima 1430m pires. Club Umpire Training Sessions to Commence The AFL North East Border Umpiring De- ball League Club umpires also in 2014. partment will be introducing a club umpire These sessions will give all club umpires to training program in 2014. opportunity to increase their knowledge as an Sessions will be conducted specifically for umpire which should make the role more enjoy- club based umpires in Albury/Wodonga and able. Wangaratta. These sessions grow on the These sessions are free of charge with the program that has been running in the Hume dates for the sessions outlined on the back Football League for some time now. The page. sessions will continue for the Hume Foot- 2014 Umpire Partners Page 2 AFL North East Border Umpiring V/line Umpiring Academy The second session of the V/ goal umpires took part in an the V/line Umpire Academy line Umpiring Academy was agility test. will have opportunities to conducted by Rod Threlfall, umpires at the upcoming Sean Wilson (boundary um- AFL Victoria Country Umpir- U15 V/line Cup, State Under pire) performed the best in ing Development Manager 16 Championships and the the yo-yo test with Ashley on Monday, 17th February at state interleague matches. Broughton (field umpire) Wodonga. coming in second. We encourage all umpires Numbers were down for this who have been invited to The umpires then took part session but those in attend- these session to take part to in a skill session which incor- ance performed well in their see a strong representation porated all disciplines work- fitness tests. Field and of North East Border um- ing together on the field. Boundary umpires took part pires across these state in the yo-yo test and the Umpires who are involved in competitions AFL Victoria Umpire Coaches Seminar On Sunday, 23rd February The conference included The annual pre-season Um- six of the AFLNEB Umpires presentations from Michael pire Coach conference is Coaches Mark Bywater, Jennings (AFL Assistant Field part of the AFL Umpire Shane Downie, Ian Hunter, Umpires Coach), Matt Pell Coach Professional Devel- Norm Maclure, Warwick (AFL Umpires Strength and opment Program that all the “Persistence can Henderson and Peter Albury Conditioning Coach), Russell AFLNEB Umpire Coaches change failure into attended the 2014 AFL Vic- O’Toole and Rod Threlfall will be involved. All that extraordinary toria Pre-Season Umpire (AFL Victoria Country Umpire attended enjoyed the day achievement” Conference. A total of 135 Development Managers). The and the opportunity to mix Umpire Coaches from seminars sets the scene for with other coaches from Matt Biondi around Victoria were in- umpiring across the state for around Victoria. volved in the conference. 2014. Umpires & Coaches Selected for U15 V/line Cup The AFLNEB Umpiring The AFL Victoria Country day at Visy Park on the 22nd Group congratulate the fol- Umpire Department have March and then will umpire lowing AFLNEB umpires also selected various Umpire at the carnival in Melbourne who have been selected to Coaches for the carnival with on 6-9 April 2014. officiate during the Under 15 AFLNEB Umpire Coaches The AFLNEB Umpiring De- V/line championships: Laura Mark Bywater and Shane partment wish all involved in Collins (Boundary), Jeremy Downie to act as Field Um- the championships well and Henderson (Field), Emily pire Coaches during the are sure they will benefit Gardner (Goal), Jeremey championships. from the experience. Gardner (Goal) and Kade The umpires and coaches Umpire Coaches from across Mutsch (Goal). will be involved in a training Victoria at the AFL Victoria Umpire Coach Conference 2014 Umpire Partners Page 3 AFL North East Border Umpiring Amendments to the Laws of the Game for 2014 The AFL have introduced Players Drawing Head layed or impacted the play- some amendments to the High Contact: a player er disposing of the football Laws of the Game for 2014 who drives his head into a by having their hands in in line with their commitment near stationary player shall the air. If they have then a to protect players from injury be deemed to have had 50m penalty will apply. while keeping the game prior opportunity and will Marking Contests: unduly competitive, entertaining and be required to legally dis- has been included in law exciting. pose of the ball once tack- 15.4.5(d) in describing any led and where a player Amendments have been action that is deemed ex- Only minor changes to the Laws of ducks into a tackle it will made in the following areas; cessive or unreasonable the Game in 2014 be called play on. in a marking contest that Forceful Contact below Protected Area—”Hands prevents a player from the knees: A free kick to contesting the ball. be paid for any forceful in the Air” Interpretation: contact below the knee or The umpire to use his/her Examples of these new laws any sliding action that is discretion in determining can be viewed on the AFL likely to cause injury had whether a player in the website. contact occurred. protected area has de- Schedule of Events Date Description Venue & Time Tue 4th March Matt Stevic at Training Wodonga Senior Sec College at 6.00pm Sat 8th March Umpire Clinic conducted by Jacob Mollison Noreuil Park at 9.00am Sat 8th March BJ Smith Fundraiser Dinner Kinross Woolshed, Thurgoona 6.30pm Wed 12th March Club Umpire Training Session (Hume Football Walla Walla, 7.00pm League) Wed 19th March Club Umpire Training Session Wangaratta Umpires Rooms, Norm Minns Oval at 6.30pm Wed 26th March Club Umpire Training Session Albury/Wodonga Venue TBC at 6.30pm Sat 29th March Hume and Ovens & King Football Leagues Com- Various mence Sat 29th & Sun 30th Wangaratta District Junior Football League Com- Various March mences Sat 5th April Ovens & Murray and Tallangatta Football Leagues Various Commence Sun 6th April Albury/Wodonga Juniors Football League Com- Various mences 2014 Umpire Partners Page 4 .