SANFL round 18 live stream: Adelaide v Central District from 2.10pm on Advertiser.com.au

The son of an umpiring gun was set to follow in dad’s footsteps in the SANFL today. See the live stream replays.

Ben Williams (right) with his dad and SA Football Hall of Famer Richard. Pictures: Russell Millard.

He’s the son of an umpiring gun who excelled at cricket but is now following in his father’s footsteps.

Thirty-one years after SA Football Hall of Fame field umpire Richard Williams blew the whistle for the first time at league level, his son Ben will officiate his first SANFL league game when Central District hosts Adelaide at Elizabeth Oval on Saturday.

“It’s a big honour and something I feel very privileged to do,’’ the 25-year-old said.

“I spent my childhood watching dad umpire every week and to get my first league game, join the same club as him, is a great thing for me and the family.’’

Ben has been umpiring since he was 13 but he put his whistleblowing on the backburner for five years, officiating in the Adelaide Footy League rather than SANFL, as he focused on a blossoming cricket career.

UNDER-18: NORWOOD v NORTH ADELAIDE: LIVE FROM 11AM

A fast-medium seam bowler, Ben played State under-15, 17 and 19 cricket and was a member of SACA’s Emerging Redbacks program.

He captured three wickets in West Torrens’ 2016-17 Premier Cricket two-day grand final victory against Kensington and also played in the club’s One-Day and T20 premierships that season.

But his passion for umpiring never waned and after umpiring last year’s Adelaide Footy League Division One grand final he returned to the SANFL.

Strong performances in the reserves earned him a call-up for Saturday's Bulldogs-Crows league clash.

UNDER-18: GLENELG v WEST ADELAIDE: LIVE FROM 11.30AM

“I’ll still play cricket but I felt the time was right to give football umpiring a proper crack,’’ Ben said.

Dad Richard was inducted into the SA Football Hall of Fame in 2012 after a distinguished career that included 459 SANFL league games from 1990-2011 and 56 AFL matches from 1995-1999.

Richard umpired 11 league grand finals, four State games and won the Golden Whistle as the State’s top umpire six times.

The pair have umpired a handful of amateur league games together and Ben has lapped up his dad’s support.

SANFL ROUND 18: CENTRAL DISTRICT v ADELAIDE: LIVE FROM 2.10PM

“Watching highlights of dad umpiring grand finals has been a big motivating factor for me because I want to experience that,’’ Ben said.

As for any advice Richard will offer Ben before his big day, he said: “The pace of league football will be faster but I’ll just tell him to treat it as another game, pay the free kicks that are there and enjoy the experience’’.

The game will be live streamed on Saturday on advertiser.com.au from 2.10pm