VFL ROUND 5 MAY 4-5, 2013 $3.00 UUmpiringmpiring iiss EEveryone’sveryone’s BBusinessusiness CCollingwoodollingwood 225.26.1765.26.176 d BBendigoendigo 99.6.60.6.60 Photos: Dave Savell Photos: Arj Giese GGeelongeelong 119.17.1319.17.131 d FFrankstonrankston 77.10.52.10.52 Give exit fees the boot. And lock-in contracts the hip and shoulder. AlintaAlinta EnerEnergy’sgy’s Fair GGoo 1155 • NoNo lock-inlock-in contractscontracts • No exitexit fees • 15%15% off your electricity usageusage* forfor as lonlongg as you continue to be on this planplan 18001800 46 2525 4646 alintaenergy.com.aualintaenergy.com.au *15% off your electricity usage based on Alinta Energy’s published Standing Tariffs for Victoria. Terms and conditionsconditions apply.apply. NNotot avaavailableilable wwithith sosolar.lar. EDITORIAL Recognising umpiring FOOTBALL leagues around the State will celebrate ‘Umpiring Is Everyone’s Business’ this weekend. And, taken literally, it is the business of everyone involved That’s important because, as in the game. Umpires are intrinsic to our great game: no the theme intimates, umpiring is umpires, no game. everyone’s business. Umpires deserve our recognition, respect and appreciation Next Saturday, we witness every week. They do a wonderful job controlling a game the return of State football with the Peter Jackson VFL where the skill and speed continually increase as do the representative team heading to Northam to play Western demands on umpires. Australia. Just like footballers, umpires are dedicated athletes whose It promises to be a testing encounter, but one which coach preparation and passion for the game is unwavering. Gary Ayres, his coaching staff and the squad of 25 players And, just like footballers, AFL Victoria strives to provide will certainly relish. a clearly defi ned pathway for umpires to progress their State representative football is an undoubted highlight participation to the highest level. of the season: the challenge of the best against the best Already this year we’ve seen fi eld umpire Tristian Burgess available players is one that captivates each State. rewarded for his high standard of umpiring at the VFL level It remains a tradition of State League football, a measuring by his elevation to the AFL umpire panel. stick in many regards as to the depth and strength of the AFL Victoria’s umpiring program, with the support of the respective competitions. network of community Leagues around Victoria, is the Apart from the honor, and that is not lost on all those biggest provider of umpires to the AFL. About 75 per cent involved, of wearing a State jumper, the match also of those on the AFL umpires list come from Victoria, gaining provides a marvelous opportunity for players to showcase fi nal selection by progressing from the Peter Jackson VFL. their talent at a higher level. It doesn’t come without much hard work from all those Last year’s victorious team against Tasmania included Brett like AFL Victoria State League Umpiring Manager Kevin Goodes, Sam Dwyer, Kyle Hartigan, Dean Towers and Leigh Mitchell and all his staff. Osborne, who were all selected by AFL clubs at the end of More and more young people are being attracted to last season. umpiring with the average age for fi eld and boundary Certainly, the State match, which will be televised by the umpires in both the AFL Victoria Development and Senior ABC, will attract the attention of all AFL recruiting scouts. squads all under 25. We wish Gary and all the players the best for the challenge Such a spike in numbers of young people wishing to pursue that lies ahead. a career of umpiring can be linked to a commitment, beginning at community level, of creating a positive, Grant Williams inclusive and welcoming environment. AFL Victoria General Manager Editor: Anthony Stanguts anthony.stanguts@afl vic.com.au Contributors: Adrian Dunn, Dave O’Neill Design & Print: Cyan Press Photos: AFL Photo’s (unless otherwise credited) Visy Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 Advertising: Ryan Webb (03) 8341 6062 GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 AFL Victoria General Manager: Grant Williams Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 www.afl vic.com.au State League & Talent Manager: John Hook High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, Leon Harris Cover photo: (L-R) Goal Umpire Michael Craig, Field Umpire Talent Operations Coordinator: Sophie Timms Matthew Brown and Boundary Umpire Jordan Andrews. Talent Operations Offi cer: Lauren Bunting www.vfl .com.au 1 MEDIA COVERAGE ABC TV Saturday May 4: Coburg vs Essendon – 1pm Next Week: WAFL vs VFL – 2pm Next VFL Game: Saturday May 18 – Casey Scorpions vs Box Hill Hawks Peter Jackson VFL Radio Sunday May 5: Sandringham vs Northern Blues – From 1:30pm Live on Digital Radio via Aussie, Red Time Sport and SEN I-Phone Apps, online via vfl .com.au or sen.com.au and on Vision Australia Radio on 1179AM Next game: May 19 – Frankston vs Williamstown 3WBC Saturday May 4: Bendigo vs Box Hill Hawks – 2pm Listen to 94.1 FM or online at www.3wbc.org.au Next game: May 18 – Casey Scorpions vs Box Hill Hawks SEN Sunday May 5 – Peter Jackson VFL review 9:05pm Thursday May 9 – The Peter Jackson VFL Show 8:30pm – 9pm Peter Jackson VFL Online Keep up to date with the Peter Jackson VFL via the following methods: Website: www.vfl .com.au @VFLnews #PJVFL www.facebook.com/vfl footy 2 www.afl vic.com.au DEAN JONES 100 games for Jones ABOUT 15 years ago Dean Jones was at a loss what to do with his weekends so he decided to embrace his football passion in the best practical way – he became a goal umpire. It’s been quite some journey, but this weekend, which “Obviously, you don’t want scoring errors, but positioning coincides with the game celebrating ‘umpiring is is critical. You have to read the fl ight of the ball and everyone’s business’, Jones offi ciates in his 100th VFL position yourself accordingly,” he said. match. All umpires – fi eld, boundary and goal – are scrutinized Asked why he chose goal umpiring, Jones simply replied: and assessed each week. For goal umpires there are bonus “I thought I could do it, so I gave it a go and got involved. I points and deductions. love my footy. “Clean games are what goal umpires are after; where “Initially, I got involved in a junior league, but I soon realized I wanted to do senior football so I went to the we’ve read the fl ight of the ball correctly and haven’t made Southern Football League.” any scoring errors,” Jones said. Two years after Jones took up goal umpiring with the The goal umpires with the least deductions over the course Southern Football League in 2000 he was invited to try out of the season get to umpire the fi nals. for a place on the VFL goal umpiring panel. And, like footballers, being involved deep in September is It wasn’t until Round 10, 2003 that Jones offi ciated in his the aim of every umpire, just ask Dean Jones. fi rst VFL senior match at Geelong. While he has umpired a Semi Final at Bellerive Oval in 2005 when the Tasmania Devils were part of the VFL, Jones admitted he’s had to work hard to hold his place on the panel. “I’ve had my ups and downs with fi tness so it’s good to get this far,” Jones said. Jones said he had to work hard to keep his skin fold down and also pass the cut-off point for the then four kilometer time trial. “I struggled making the time, but now they’ve pulled it back to a two K (kilometer) time trial and I’ve been able to pass it,” he said. Jones said the message was loud and clear that unless he passed the mid-season time trial that he wouldn’t be on the panel the following season. He spent the 2009 season with the Development squad, but Jones wanted to return to where he had previously umpired – the VFL. “I just worked my butt off,” Jones said. “I thought ‘I want to keep doing this’ so I passed the test and stayed on.” Jones offi ciated in the then VFL Reserves Grand Final in 2010. With the positioning of goal umpires well and truly in focus in the AFL, Jones said it is critical to either be on the line or under the fl ight of the ball. www.vfl .com.au 3 UMPIRING IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS UMPIRING IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS UMPIRE and football scouts are no different – they’re both after athletes. Long gone is the image of the rotund, short guy decked “The opportunity is there for them to progress to the AFL,” out in white adjudicating the game from ever diminishing he said. circles near the centre of the ground. “We are about preparing umpires to really get the best Just like footballers, umpires must be elite athletes. The out of themselves, but also to go to the AFL. Some have to frenetic speed of the game demands it. make way for others if they can’t progress. AFL Victoria State League Umpiring Manager Kevin “It’s a tough gig, but it’s nice to see that blokes can turn Mitchell noted that athleticism was a non-negotiable for themselves around and reach milestones or progress to umpires. the AFL” Mitchell said one of the fi rst considerations for fl edgling The average age on the senior panel for fi eld umpires is 25 umpires is their fi tness – can they cope with the ever- while it’s 20 on the Development list; boundary umpires 23 increasing physical demands to handle State League (senior list), 19 (development) and 28 for goal umpires, 21 football and TAC Cup? (development).