Last Weekend across Australia, we had 3 of  Northern Territory’s leading Umpires attended the annual AFL Umpire’s Pre-season Seminar and the National Coaching Conference in aim to help further improve the NTFL umpiring group and their own personal development.

AFL Umpire’s Pre-season Seminar was held in Geelong, Victoria and leading Field Umpire Kane Vellar mixed it with the AFL Umpires as a part of the AIS/AFL High Performance Umpiring Academy. Vellar has been selected with 6 other promising field umpires from around the country.

The AIS/AFL High Performance Umpiring Academy is in its second year with the intentions of ensuring that the AFL is providing potential elite AFL Umpires with the highest level of development assistance possible and linking it to programs to provide these talented young umpires with the best personal development skills to make the elite level.

The Program will involve umpires participating in a range of activities including a “High Performance Mentoring Program”, personal development opportunities within the National Officiating Scholarship Program and activities incorporating the AIS/AFL football academy.

Former AFL Field Umpire and Seven-time AFL Grand Final Umpire Brett Allen will continue to be the AFL Umpiring High Performance Manager of the group. Kane’s personal Mentor for the year will be current 65 gamer AFL Umpire Mathew Nicholls, where Matthew will have regular phone conferences with Kane through out his NTFL & QAFL seasons.

Whilst Kane and I were in Geelong at the AFL Umpire’s Pre-season Seminar, John Robins was selected to represent the NT as an apart of the National Umpire Coach PD program at the National Coaching Conference in Adelaide. His great overview of his jam pack weekend will feature in next week’s edition.

AFLNT Umpires Recruitment
We are currently in desperate need of more Junior Field and Boundary umpires at the moment as the Juniors return this weekend. So if you’re interested in giving umpiring a go then please call the AFLNT on 8980 4811 during business hours or come down to TIO Stadium on Monday or Wednesday Nights from 5.40pm.

Milestone Avenue Round 17:
• Scott Quartermain – League Field Umpiring Debut – Nightcliff v Waratahs
• Lyndon Bradshaw – 550th Field Umpiring Game
• Mark Noonan – 200th Combined Umpiring Game
• Roland Ostler – 100th Field Umpiring Game
• Mark Christie – 100th Field Umpiring Game
• Lyndon Bradshaw – 100th U18 Field Umpiring Game

Mark Noonan
Umpiring Development Manager
AFL Northern Territory