Umpiring Round returns in Round 3 of the 2019/20 TIO NTFL season, an opportunity for players and spectators, alike to recognise the hard work and dedication showed by the NTFL’s 15th club, the umpiring group.
This season umpires range in age from 12 years old to 77, and there has been a 25% increase in the number of registered female umpires in comparison to the 2018/19 NTFL season, a 17% increase in the number of umpires who also play in NTFL teams, and an 89% increase in Indigenous umpires.
Remote umpiring is also growing with the competition gaining three umpires from the Tiwi Islands and two from Maningrida, boosting remote umpire figures by 150%.
To celebrate Umpiring Round the NTFL will have a number of activations including members of the AFLNT Executive umpiring games, video and interview segments on social media and will welcome AFL-listed umpire John Howorth to Darwin this weekend. Howorth made his AFL umpiring debut in Round 6 of the 2019 AFL Premiership season and went on to umpire a further five AFL games. He will arrive in Darwin on Friday to be part of the NTFL umpiring contingent for Rounds 3 and 4.
AFLNT Umpiring Manager, Andrew McBean said the round is about awareness in creating a positive environment for umpires and to celebrate what they contribute to the game.
“Umpiring Round is about recognising the commitment and efforts that the NTFL Umpires put in each and every week. As we know without umpires, we can’t have a game of football. This year the umpiring department are encouraging all players to Play One Day and Umpire the Next,” he said.
To find out how you can get involved in Umpiring see umpire.afl
