Former NFNL goal umpire, Matthew Edwards, has this week been appointed to officiate the AFLW Grand Final between Adelaide and Melbourne this Saturday.
Matthew started his umpiring journey in the NFNL as a junior and has progressed through the VFL ranks, having now umpired over 100 VFL matches.
Matthew’s father Craig is a former NFNL boundary umpire, and current NFNL boundary skills coach, and brother Jack is a current VFL field umpire, having also umpired over 100 VFL matches.
Also earlier this year, former NFNL boundary umpire Nick Phillips was promoted to the AFL boundary umpires panel.
Like Matthew, Nick has worked his way through the ranks having umpired over 50 VFL matches. Nick has also umpired the 2019 and 2021 AFLW Grand Finals.
“This is a fantastic result for both Matt and Nick. It shows there is a pathway for umpires who aspire to reach the top level that starting umpiring with the NFNL can take you all the way to the AFL”, says Cameron Nash, NFNL Head of Umpiring.
Nathan Thorneycroft, also a former NFNL umpire, will be officiating tonight’s NAB League Girls Grand Final between the Western Jets and Dandenong Stingrays at Avalon Airport Oval.
The NFNL is still recruiting umpires for this season, therefore if you are interested in joining the NFNL Umpiring Team, email Cameron Nash at cnash@nfnl.org.au
