News

Important Professional Development Session

The challenges faced in securing the services of a competent club umpire and the sometimes challenging aspects of being a club field umpire are universally recognised.

To assist, you will recall having received in mid April 2013 from the WAAFL to all clubs a comprehensive power point supplied by WAFC Umpiring to assist clubs and club umpires.

To further support club umpires, and in turn the welfare of all WAAFL player participants, an essential club umpire professional development opportunity is provided, with a choice of which date you attend.

There is no requirement to rsvp. Simply select a date to suit and be at Hamer Park in Mt. Lawley on any one of the two dates (Same session being conducted on each date).

• Wednesday 8th May, 5.45pm - 6.45pm OR
• Monday 13th May, 6pm - 7pm

These sessions will be interactive, include footage, and provide the opportunity for questions you may have. WAAFL Senior Field umpire coach Cameron Douglas will lead the session.

The session will include;
• Spirit of the Laws
• New Laws and Interpretations
• Rapport and player management
• Duty of Care - protect head, stretcher procedure, manage send off
• Footage of WAFL incidents - how to respond, what is a free kick

We look forward to all club field umpires attending.

New Rules for 2013

In 2013, there have been three new law changes and a number of modifications to interpretations to the game.

Law changes include:
1. Forceful contact below the knees
2. Separation of Ruckmen at stoppages
3. Umpires to “Throw the ball up” around the ground

Interpretation changes include:
1. Stricter interpretation of holding the ball
2. Free kick against a player for dragging or pushing the ball back under their opponent
3. Kicking in from full back – reduce time allowed for kick ins to 5 – 6 seconds – from when flags have been waved.

For further clarification on any of the law changes in 2013, please visit the website here for further details of all above mentioned.

Note: The WAAFL will also adopt penalty for deliberate rushed behind, per AFL law. For a video on this rule, follow the link here.

Umpires Scratch Match Form

The 2013 Senior Community Umpire Scratch Match Request Form must be received at least one week prior to the scratch match.

After confirmation of umpire appointments (Thursday morning before) the home club is requested to pay $100 if the request is only for field umpires, or $200 if the request is for field, boundary and goal umpires to the Umpires Association bank account prior to the match.

Note the payment this season is for each match umpires are requested.

The 2013 Scratch Match Coordinator is Des Morgan who can be contacted on 0432 920 019.

The Scratch match form can be found here.

Umpires Preseason Schedule

Preseason has commenced for many teams for the 2013 season, including this seasons umpires.

We have attached a full schedule to keep all umpires updated, with training starting this upcoming Wednesday (16th January).

Please see below for complete list of preseason training including date, time and venue.

WAAFL Umpire Preseason Training Schedule:

Wednesday	16-Jan	Light Street, Dianella

Monday	21-Jan	Collier Park, Como
Wednesday	23-Jan	Light Street, Dianella

Monday	28-Jan	NO TRAINING
Wednesday	30-Jan	Light Street, Dianella

Monday	4-Feb	Collier Park, Como
Wednesday	6-Feb	Lake Monger, North Car Park

Monday	11-Feb	Collier Park, Como
Wednesday	13-Feb	Light Street, Dianella

Monday	18-Feb	Jubilee Park, City Beach
Wednesday	20-Feb	Light Street, Dianella

Monday	25-Feb	Collier Park, Como
Wednesday	27-Feb	Light Street, Dianella

Monday	4-Mar	Collier Park, Como
Wednesday	6-Mar	Jubilee Park, City Beach

Monday	11-Mar	Collier Park, Como
Wednesday	13-Mar	Light Street, Dianella

Monday	18-Mar	Lake Monger, North Car Park
Wednesday	20-Mar	Light Street, Dianella

Monday	25-Mar	Collier Park, Como
Wednesday	27-Mar	Light Street, Dianella

Monday	1-Apr	Hamer Park, Mt Lawley
Wednesday	3-Apr	Hamer Park, Mt Lawley

Umpires for 2013

WAFC Umpiring is pleased to advise that having followed and extensive and comprehensive recruitment and selection process to appoint the best available WAAFL Honorary umpire coach/management leadership team for season 2013, key appointments have been made.

This thorough process included seeking expressions of interest via websites and emailing umpires, actively seeking and discussing with potentially suitable persons. Further, where required engagement of WAFL umpire coaches, confidential discussions including with some key umpire personnel, many 2012 umpires coaches and the umpires association president also occured.

A panel comprising WAFC umpiring Darryl Sinclair, Paul Pitchers and Tim Priest conducted numerous interviews as a further part of the process to select the best available 2013 WAAFL honorary umpire manager and senior umpire coach's leadership team. Confidential references were also sought where deemed applicable, beyond the umpiring fraternity.

WAFC Umpiring as a team collectively endorsed and equally received endorsement from the General Manager WAAFL on the honorary umpire operations manager and three senior umpire coach discipline recommendations.

We are very pleased to announce the following appointments have been made for the 2013 WAAFL Season:

2013 WAAFL Honorary Umpire Operations Manager - Greg Gilbee

2013 WAAFL Honorary Senior Field Umpires Coach - Cameron Douglas

2013 WAAFL Honorary Senior Boundary Umpires Coach - Rob McDonald

2013 WAAFL Honorary Goal Umpires Coach - Peter Jeffers

2013 WAAFL Honorary Assistant Goal Umpires Coach - Terry Tomlinson

2013 WAAFL Honorary Strength and Conditioning Coach - Liam Warwick

WAFC Umpiring is extremely confident that the appointed honorary umpire leadership team for season 2013 will work cohesively together, has wide respect amongst umpires of all disciplines, and will provide great opportunity for newly developing and seasoned umpires alike.

WAFC Umpiring takes this opportunity to acknowledge Colin Gray for his leadership role as honorary manager 2012 and wish him success as he focuses on umpiring in season 2013.

We also acknowledge and thank Terry Battle for his contribution as senior community umpire coach 2009 - 2012. Terry put in many hours to this demanding role and many umpires currently in the WAFL umpires panel are fortunate to have received a solid grounding including through Terry's assistance.

We are particulary please to retain Terry Tomlinson's services in 2013 as assistant goal coach, having provided nearly a decade of service as senior goal coach. Terry and Peter Jeffers have enormous respect for one another and this being the case the transition as Peter assumes the senior goal coach role should be seamless.

Further season 2013 honorary coach appointments will be made in due course and are at various levels of progression.