Local footy: WRFL offers cash to attract former players to umpire

A suburban football competition is offering cash incentives in an effort to attract more former players as officials.

WRFL Division 1 umpires warm up before a match this season. Picture: Local Legends Photography

The Western Region Football League has stumped up $5000 in a bid to bolster the ex-players in its umpiring ranks.

First-year umpires who have played seniors, reserves or under-18s are eligible for a $500 payment when they have officiated 10 matches as a field umpire across the three levels.

The payment is available to the first 10 new umpires who qualify and is in addition to the standard wage, with Division 1 field umpires earning $133 per game in 2021.

WRFL umpiring director Mark Westgarth said it was the first time such an incentive had been offered.

Several Victorian local leagues have struggled for umpires after a season off, increasing the reliance on club volunteers to oversee matches.

The WRFL has about 290 umpires this year, down from 320 in recent years. Westgarth said the league’s field umpire numbers remained stable, while boundary and goal umpires had decreased.

“The league’s put that money up with the umpires association, so the relationship between the two groups is absolutely brilliant, unlike other leagues,” Westgarth said.

“We’re all about trying to improve footy.

“It’s about developing our bottom group, say Division 2 and 3 … if we can get some ex-players in there to give us that depth, then we can start pushing those blokes into Division 1 and then the umpiring in the WRFL improves overall because guys come back to those grades from Division 1.”

WRFL umpiring director Mark Westgarth (middle) with sons Michael and Matthew.

After two seasons as a WRFL umpire, former player Arron Knezevic has progressed to the VFL panel.

Another ex-player in Grant Foulkes also officiated top-flight matches for the first time in 2019 after signing on as an umpire the previous year.

Westgarth said a greater proportion of players taking up umpiring would only benefit the competition.

“They’re easier to coach. They’ve got that football knowledge behind them,” he said.

“Because they have a really good feel for the game because they played, their decision-making is obviously a lot more conducive to our style of footy.

“We don’t (penalise) blokes too quickly for holding the ball and things like that, it’s about giving the incentive to go and get it, and they know that being players. That’s a really good thing for us.

“You can umpire Division 1 football until your mid-50s if you’re reasonably fit. You’re involved in the best level of footy, you get paid to do it, you keep fit and your body doesn’t get belted around anymore. There’s lots of pluses for them.

“They’ve definitely got an advantage when they’ve played senior footy.”

An AFL Victoria spokesman said last month umpiring numbers were “slightly behind where they were pre-COVID, down just over 10 per cent”.

He said the football authority was working to “get numbers back to ensure football can get played across the state at all levels”

“AFL Victoria is working hard to attract more people to umpiring. We have systems in place to support umpires, including pathway programs, free training and mentoring.

“Umpires play an important part in our game and it is a great way for people to get involved, get paid, get fit and be part of a community of people who love footy.”

He said the football authority was working to “get numbers back to ensure football can get played across the state at all levels’’

“AFL Victoria is working hard to attract more people to umpiring. We have systems in place to support umpires, including pathway programs, free training and mentoring.

“Umpires play an important part in our game and it is a great way for people to get involved, get paid, get fit and be part of a community of people who love footy.”