There is no doubt that the evolution of AFL football has had the most positive impact on umpires out of all the participants in our great game.
More games per round, more rounds per season and more umpires per game have resulted in a rapid increase in the number of games required for a field umpire to make it into the top 100 AFL umpires of all time. Let’s take a look at some of the game’s greatest in green.
The doyen of all umpires, Jack McMurray Sr (eq No.25) would never have imagined the game today when he retired in 1936 at the age of 47. Now, the AFL employs up to 36 umpires, 36 boundary umpires, 18 goal umpires (and nine reserves) each week and is played in all states in Australia on any day (or night) of the week.
The final number of games that he umpired is also a matter of conjecture, and it depends on whether you believe Wikipedia (307), AFL Tables (304) or the AFL (303).
Whatever figure is correct, there is no doubt that he was the first umpire to reach 300 games, despite the fact that he didn’t commence (then) VFL umpiring until age 28.
He would also be staggered to know that his 300-plus games is now only just enough for him to be ranked in the top quartile of (now) AFL field umpires, and even with the 212 games umpired by his highly respected son Jack McMurray Jr (No.45), he still wouldn’t match the games total reached by the all-time record holder, Brett Rosebury (No.1) which currently stands at 533 games.
Shane McInerney (No.2) became the first umpire to officiate in 500 games in 2019 but it is highly likely that he will be joined on that number by Matt Stevic (eq No.3) and Simon Meredith (eq No.3) in the opening round of 2025 as both currently sit on 499 games.
Matt Stevic. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
As well as the three current umpires mentioned above, there are another 21 umpires currently scattered throughout the top 100 umpires list. This gives the selectors a good blend of youth and experience when they are allocating the group of four to each and every game.
Hopefully the mix of umpires will ensure that wrong decisions will be corrected in a professional manner and common sense will ensure the punishment fits the “crime”.
It is not the fault of the umpires who are interpreting the rule correctly, but I sometimes believe that the 50-metre penalty when applied to a “chip and spread” game can have an impact on the meterage and momentum of a game far greater than the crime.
Unfortunately, 2024 brought to an end the career of one of the characters of umpiring Ray Chamberlain (No.10). ‘Razor’ Ray was well known for cracking jokes in the field of play and appeared in TV commercials, shunning the anonymity that most umpires covet as a necessity of their role.
Umpire Ray Chamberlain. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Chamberlain joins the ranks of many other umpiring personalities who are respected and acknowledged for the vital part they play in the development of the great game of Aussie Rules.
2024 saw Justin Power (eq No.93) and John Howorth (No.97) join the elite all-time top 100 umpires at the expense of Ian Clayton (1980-1989) and Alfred Sawyer (1944-1950).
All things being equal, 2025 should see Cameron Dore and Jamie Broadbent (currently on 99 games) make their way onto the list of the top 100 umpiring professionals of all time.
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