AFL Barwon Umpiring Community Continues to Grow with Record 2025 Season

AFL Barwon’s umpiring community had a remarkable year in 2025, demonstrating dedication, professionalism, and growth across the region. The season it delivered an impressive 11,567 umpire appointments an 18% increase on 2024 which is a clear testament to the resilience and commitment of the region’s umpires. 

Recruitment and development initiatives strengthened the umpiring base throughout the year. A total of 559 umpires were registered as an AFL Barwon umpire, with aligned field umpire numbers increasing by 17, ensuring depth at higher competition levels. Female participation grew by 16%, reflecting AFL Barwon’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. Standardising umpire pay across competitions also improved discipline and retention, with some competitions seeing increases of up to 33%.

Supporting development and pathways for umpires continued to be a priority. Club appointed umpires were registered in Officials HQ, enabling targeted coaching, mentoring, and performance support to strengthen skills and confidence. Maintaining high standards remained a core focus, with 88% of registered umpires completing the AFL’s mandatory online modules, ensuring professionalism and integrity across all competitions. Female umpires received particular attention, with two AFL Victoria Female Umpiring Hubs hosted in Geelong, providing mentoring, networking, and skill development opportunities that are helping to grow the next generation of officials. 

Participation in AFL Victoria’s CUAP program offered talented umpires exposure to competitions such as the Coates Talent League, VFLW, and V/Line Cup, opening doors to state-level appointments and enhancing career pathways. The expanded use of HUDL video coaching further supported skill development, giving umpires immediate feedback from coaches and contributing to improved match-day performance. 

Technology also played an important role in 2025. The transition of junior football competitions to online umpire match reports and voting improved data accuracy and reduced administrative burdens, allowing AFL Barwon to focus on supporting umpires and maintaining high-quality appointments across all competitions.

Even with some challenges in availability, particularly among boundary and club aligned umpires, the region ensured every match was officiated to a high standard. By emphasising mentoring, development, and engagement, AFL Barwon ensured umpires were well supported and that participants experienced fair and professional competition across every league. 

The achievements of 2025 reflect the dedication of AFL Barwon’s umpiring community and the organisation’s commitment to nurturing a sustainable, high-performing cohort of officials. Through ongoing innovation, pathways, and development, the region is well positioned to continue supporting and growing umpiring talent while delivering outstanding officiating for players, coaches, and the wider community in the years ahead.