FootballUmpiring

The AFL Barwon Umpires in one senior match across the three leagues, will support AFL Barwon Indigenous Round this weekend by wearing specially designed uniforms.

Designed and created by proud Noongar Wandandi Boodja first nations man Joshua James, umpires will wear the Indigenous uniform in the South Barwon vs Leopold Seniors, Portarlington vs Anglesea Seniors, and the Apollo Bay v Birregurra Senior match.

The full story and meaning of the artwork and the artist, Joshua James can be found below.

Artwork Design

The artwork is called Yongka Kaaleepga which means “Kangaroo Homeland” in Noongar language. There are two narratives within the artwork design. One being the story behind the pathway’s that Kangaroos use to travel around the region, covering off the Bellarine, Otway’s and inland around AFL Barwon.

The second story covers the umpiring fraternity, showcasing the communication and strength umpires have along with the resilience and unity of people coming together from all around Australia regardless of peoples skin colour, culture, sexual orientation or beliefs. The artwork also includes the family of the artist, Joshua James.

Artwork Design in detail.

From a far – The artwork outline is a view from above of the land in the region through the eyes of Bunjil, the eagle who is the spirit and creator of these local lands. The land covers the Bellarine, Surf coast, Otway’s, Bay, Inland and Djilang.  The landscape also covers Hovells’ Creek coming through Lara and the Barwon river that crosses the land and enters the sea at Barwon Heads.

Inside the land – There are 11 yarning rings, these rings identify the 11 people that are key to have a successful umpiring campaign. This is including, 3 Field umpires, 3 Boundary umpires, 2 goal umpires and 3 coaches, 1 of each discipline for the duration of the season.

Inland pathway – from the bottom left of the design being the southwest, around the design working its way up along the west side and then along the top being the north is a trail of Yongka Djooroot (Kangaroo Tracks). This represents the journey of the kangaroo that covers the entire region.

Three identifying symbols. – Middle-left. This yarning circle includes 4 figures. These figures are the 4 people from the artist family including Joshua James and his 2 children being Karda and Maali along with his wife and children’s mother Sian James. Sian is also an umpire and umpire coach in AFL Barwon.

Second symbol – bottom left. This yarning circle has 5 people around the fire which represents each football league that’s embedded into AFL Barwon. This includes, GFNL, BFNL, GDFNL, CDFNL, all women’s leagues and Junior Football grades.

Third symbol – bottom right. There is a yarning circle with 8 “U”figures around, this symbol represents how many people there are on field to umpire a game of Australian Rules Football. 3 Field, 3 Boundary and 2 Goal umpires in most AFL Barwon senior matches of football.  

Artwork Outcome

Joshua hopes that this artwork unites and connects people over the next three years as this is worn by AFL Barwon umpires across the region in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Umpires will wear this design while umpiring in marquee games across all grades and leagues in AFL Barwon.  Josh will ask each umpiring panel that while they wear this design to take just a brief moment pre-game to acknowledge what the artwork represents and how they can impact the aboriginal community in a positive manner.

Noongar Wandandi Boodja first nations artist Joshua James

Artist Background

Joshua James is a Proud Aboriginal man from Noongar Boodja in the Southwest of Western Australia. Josh has been involved heavily in umpiring for 20 years, including the last 7 years here in AFL Barwon. During this time, Josh has some fantastic achievements including, umpiring all around the nation which includes umpiring Senior State league football and umpiring over 370 Senior matches and 9 Senior Grand finals. Josh originally started umpiring in the Southwest Football League in Bunbury, Western Australia in 2003. Since moving to Victoria in 2015 Josh has been involved with AFL Barwon and the Geelong Umpires. During this time Josh umpired 3 Senior Grand Finals and has been a field umpires coach for the past 6 seasons, with season 2023 being one of his biggest as he takes on the Senior Coaching role in Geelong for the first time. In doing so he becomes the first ever Senior Aboriginal Coach in the region.

One of Josh’s proudest moments was in 2022 when he was selected as a matchday coach for AFLW Season 7 making him the first Aboriginal umpiring coach in the history of AFLW.

Along with umpiring and coaching Josh is the Umpire AFL Aboriginal Ambassador which is a Nation-wide role which looks at assisting Aboriginal umpires and coaches in further development. Josh has implemented several programs to help in umpire recruitment and retention which he is extremely proud of. Josh is driven and committed to increase Aboriginal participation in umpiring and to see more Aboriginal people involved in umpiring, coaching and achieve a higher representation of first nations people at state league level and the AFL.

AFL Barwon is thrilled to announce that Henry Buckley has been promoted to the VFL Development Squad for the 2025 season. This achievement marks a significant milestone in Henry’s umpiring journey and reflects his dedication, skill, and commitment to continuous improvement.

Capping off an outstanding 2024 season, Henry officiated the GFL Grand Final, demonstrating his ability to perform under high-pressure situations. His consistent excellence in game management, decision-making, and passion for the game has made him a standout within the AFL Barwon umpiring group. His hard work, both on and off the field, has been instrumental in earning his selection for the VFL Development Squad. 

The VFL Development Squad serves as a crucial stepping stone for umpires aiming to officiate at the highest levels of Australian Rules Football. Henry’s promotion is a testament to his potential and the strength of AFL Barwon’s umpiring pathway.

Images by Great Ocean Photography.

AFL Barwon Director of Football Umpiring Jock Hillgrove praised Henry’s progress:

“Henry has shown tremendous growth over the past few seasons. His work ethic, professionalism, and ability to adapt to the game at higher levels make him a well-deserving candidate for the VFL Development Squad. We’re excited to see him take this next step and continue developing as an elite umpire.”

Henry’s promotion also highlights the opportunities available for aspiring umpires within AFL Barwon. With a strong focus on development and coaching, the umpiring program continues to produce high-quality officials ready for the next level.

Congratulations to Henry Buckley on this fantastic achievement! We look forward to seeing him thrive in the VFL Development Squad and wish him all the best for the 2025 season.

There wouldn’t be many Saturday afternoons in football season that you wouldn’t see the presence of Chris Jones on a ground somewhere in the Barwon Region. Chris recently clocked up the remarkable effort of officiating 500 matches of football locally over roughly a 10-year period.

He decided to grab the whistle after a playing career at local clubs Inverleigh, Grovedale, and Geelong Amateur, where he retired from the game in the middle of the 2006. Unfortunately, 3 head knocks over a short period led Chris to hang up the playing boots. This eventually become a blessing for the local umpiring fraternity.

Umpiring certainly wasn’t front of mind or something that Chris had planned to do after footy, although he was missing the game, and was wanting to get active, so he took up the whistle. 

Over his distinguished umpiring career, he modestly described his ability to continue to perform at the highest level through staying fit and undertaking recovery accordingly. “People who know me, know I love running which might be a weird thing to say”. Thios running base, staying healthy and recovery sessions following up to 4 games accross a weekend. “I do a lot of recovery in the sea water at Eastern Beach accross a Sunday. I am pretty sore on a Sunday night” Jones explained.

Despite umpiring his own matches accross the weekend, he also shares his learnings to the young umpires. “The biggest thrill I get at the moment is seeing the up-and-coming junior umpires progress through. I have been lucky enough to have been umpiring for a lot of their senior debuts, which is really awesome. It’s something I take great pride in with coaching the junior development field umpires as well. Seeing them progress to Senior ranks is really rewarding.” Jones stated.

Chris described umpiring as the “best seat in the house” especially being able to watch Mathieson Medallists, Matt McMahon and Harry Benson up close. These were two players who he described as some of the best he has umpired over recent times. 

AFL Barwon Director of Football Umpiring, Jock Hillgrove described Chris as an ‘absolute gem’ in the umpire fraternity.

“He is always available to do multiple games if needed, and clearly having reached 500 games so quickly, it is a testament to Chris’s commitment. He has also been our Field Development Coach over the last 5 years and is very supportive of all those that have taken up field umpiring. He is a great mentor for everyone around him”.

Hillgrove regards Jones as a ‘very genuine well-liked person’ and emphasised how highly respected he is across our AFL Barwon Region.

“I’m so pleased for Chris on his milestone knowing that he has so much more to contribute to his journey as an umpire and umpire coach, I have great respect for his passion and commitment to umpiring “, said Hillgrove.

Jones doesn’t plan to hang up the whistle anytime soon with him, “I have still got the passion in me to continue going”.

The AFL Barwon community congratulates Chris on wonderful achievement and look forward to seeing him continue to set the standards for those emerging umpires. 

This week is a celebration of Community Umpiring across the AFL, if you are looking to get involved umpiring, simply go to https://play.afl/umpire

AUTHOR: MARGIE SAUNDERS - AFL VICTORIA

78-year-old Geoff Coghill has been a true stalwart of the AFL Barwon football region, umpiring 1500 games over nearly 60 years!

Geoff began umpiring in 1965 in Geelong and has continued through to 2024 despite having never played a game of football himself. He was encouraged by a friend’s father to try umpiring, and he quickly fell in love with it. Geoff has three daughters, who never played football either, but would often watch his games from the sidelines and have been heavily involved in the social aspect of the local footy community all these years.

Geoff has umpired across the Colac and District, Geelong, Hampden, Western Plains and Heytesbury Mount Noorat Football Leagues over his six-decade umpiring career and remains in Colac where he hit the milestone of 1500 games on May 26 at Gellibrand Reserve in the Otway District.

Geoff was awarded Life Membership to the Colac and District Football Umpires Association in 1982 and received an Australia Day award in 2016 for Sporting Service of the Year in the Colac Shire.

Geoff has worked his whole life as an optician, making eyeglasses for a living, which has led to some comical scenes on the footy field when spectators have been unhappy with a decision and told him to get himself a pair of his own glasses to see better!

His daughter Shelley described his umpiring style as firm, but very fair, and said he has umpired hundreds of juniors, reserves and seniors’ games including many grand finals.

“Hitting the 1000 game and 1200 game milestones where highlights for Dad, but this 1500 game milestone takes the cake as his proudest umpiring achievement,” she said.

“He has said he might finally retire now!”.

AFL Barwon Regional Manager, Edward Wilson commended Geoff on his achievement and his dedication to umpiring.

“Geoff’s achievement is testament to his passion, commitment and expertise to the discipline of umpiring,” he said.

“Through Geoff’s tenure as an umpire, he’s inspired and supported many within the umpiring fraternity and an achievement of this magnitude, will continue to be a source of immense inspiration for all within our community”.

AFL Victoria’s Local Legends initiative aims to recognise the local heroes who are the lifeblood of their local clubs and communities.

Whether it be a coach, player, umpire, local business owner, administrator or volunteer, AFL Victoria wants to celebrate the people who are the backbone of community football clubs. Community football clubs simply could not survive without those who are willing to show up each weekend and make sure that the game goes ahead, crowds are well fed, players are supported and success is enjoyed.

Nominees for the AFL Victoria Local Legends initiative can be anyone who is involved in a community football club in any capacity, whether it be paid or unpaid, directly related to the game or a behind-the-scenes super star, these legends are who make community football what it is.

Do you know someone with a great story like Geoff's? Nominate them now