AFL Broken Hill is on the search for new umpires – field, boundary, and goal – for the 2024 season, and is holding a Come and Try session on Monday night.
With the Under 17s already two rounds in and the Lightning Cup on Saturday April 20 fast approaching before the season proper begins for A Grade, Reserves, and Women’s with a Round 1 Anzac Day blockbuster between South and North in each of the senior grades, the league is keen to get some more umpires to join its ranks.
“We’re very short this year. We’ve lost a couple from last year and so anyone that wants to help out, just come along, we’ll have a chat and set out the season in terms of what happens with umpiring. It’s a bit of fitness work, you get paid for it, and it’s quite enjoyable,” AFL Broken Hill dual-Umpire’s Coordinator, Robert Hickey, told the Barrier Truth.
“It was good to get back out there umpiring Under 17s and being on the field and making decisions. Between umpires and players, it’s a real good atmosphere. There’s a little bit of banter here and there but you take that, that’s just a part of umpiring. On any given day, somebody always disagrees with one decision here or there, but we try and do our best and that’s all we can do, the same as the players do.”
The AFL Broken Hill Umpiring Come and Try Night takes place on Monday, April 15 from 5pm at Jubilee Oval. Giveaways and free pizza will be provided following the session. For more information, visit https://play.afl/umpire.
“If people have got any questions or anything, they’re quite welcome to come along. We’ll answer their questions, try and get them involved, and keep them on board,” said Mr Hickey.
