Umpire

2026 Umpiring registrations are now open!

A fun and flexible way to stay fit, get off the sidelines and be in the heart of footy – at any fitness level. You don’t need any experience, just a passion to find your more. We’ll help you every step of the way, with pathways, programs and resources.

What is umpiring?

Umpires are the eyes and ears of the footy field. Whether you’re in the field, boundary or goal, umpiring is a critical role. Umpiring provides an opportunity to be part of the game in a different way.

What to Expect

No matter the role, umpires train during the week and officiate on weekends together as a team. Fitness levels and experience can vary by position, but you can expect to be part of footy’s dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Boundary Umpires move along the boundary of the football field, judge whether the ball is out of bounds (or out of bounds on the full) and return the ball to play via a boundary throw in. Boundary umpires also assist the goal umpires in determining scoring shots.

Field Umpires officiate the play in line with the laws of the game and apply them within the spirit of the laws. They continually move around the football field following the play and position themselves side on at all times so that they can clearly observe the field of play.

Goal Umpires are positioned between the goal posts at each end of the field. They are responsible for judging whether a goal or behind has been scored, signaling that a score has been made and recording the score on their goal cards.