AFL Northern Territory last night announced the official umpiring panel for this weekend’s TIO NTFL ‘Seatbelts Save Lives’ Grand Final series.
In a ceremony at TIO Stadium, umpires officiating in the weekend’s matches were formally announced along with the presentation of junior umpiring awards to those who have demonstrated excellence during the 2011/12 season.
AFLNT Umpiring Manager Mark Noonan said the appointments and awards were a just reward for some outstanding performances and appropriately recognised the work AFLNT has done to grow and develop umpires across the Territory.
"We have full confidence in the eight guys appointed for the Premier League Grand Final and we also extend our congratulations to all umpires who have been rewarded for their hard work with a role on Grand Final day," said Noonan.
"Special mention should be made of two milestones on the Premier League umpiring panel; boundary umpire Michael Simpson will officiate in his twentieth Grand Final and Darren Witham has been appointed as a Goal Umpire for the ninth season in a row,"
"It has been a very productive year for the NTFL Umpires with expansion of our Umpiring Development staff, higher umpiring participation rates across all leagues and divisions and our highest number of ‘Green Shirt’ development umpires signing on for the 2011/12 season,"
"We wish to extend our sincere thanks to Andrew Barcroft The Good Guys for their support of NTFL Umpires for the sixth year in a row as well as Kombat and the Cricket and Football Shop for coming on board with new apparel for the Umpires,"
"We look forward to continuing these partnerships into the future so that we can grow our umpiring programs right across the Territory".
Umpires Sponsor The Good Guys have once again provided great support to NTFL Umpires and Owner Andrew Barcroft says the partnership is an important one that ensures people in the Territory are aware of the pathways that umpiring sport opens up.
"We are once again delighted to have sponsored the NTFL Umpires in Season 2011/12", said Mr Barcroft.
"Since The Good Guys came on board as a sponsor, we have been impressed with the work that AFLNT has put in to grow and develop umpires and umpiring opportunities for all Territorians",
"Umpiring any sport, but particularly AFL, is a very difficult job and the message that we promote is that AFL umpires are indeed the good guys. If we don’t have them, we don’t have a game".
Please see below for the full list of umpiring appointments for this weekend’s matches.
Under 14 Gundersen Div 1 Palmerston v Nightcliff TIO Stadium 8am
Field - Jordan Walsh (42), Kristian Whitaker (55)
Goal - John Kidd, Jeremy Shen
Under 14 Lew Fatt Div 2 Nightcliff v Darwin Buffaloes TIO No. 2 Oval 8:30am
Field - Lyndon Bradshaw (4), Brodie Rayner (Green)
Goal - Kelly Tellam, James Olsen
Under 14 Atkinson Div 3 Palmerston v Southern Districts TIO No. 2 Oval 10:15am
Field - Gerry Wood (37), Jamieson Galbraith (Green)
Goal - Bernie Trinne, Roland Ostler
Under 16 Hickman Div 1 Nightcliff v Darwin Buffaloes TIO Stadium 9:45am
Field - Steve Hill (12), Sheryle Schmode (45), Peter Clark (63)
Boundary - Ben Long, Belinda Scanlon, Michael Butler
Goal - Peter Netherway, Jim Thiele
Under 16 Leverence Div 2 Nightcliff v Palmerston TIO No.2 Oval 12pm
Field - Jim Thiele (16), Greg Grace (34), Glen Speering (48)
Boundary - Garey Neenan, Graham Lawrence, Riley May
Goal - Elly Langridge, Leon Fennell
Under 18 Palmerston v Big River Hawks TIO Stadium 11:30am
Field - Brian Walters (24), Liam Bentley (26), Jay Farrell (27)
Boundary - Mathew Collins, Michael Collins, Hayden Kelly
Goal - Michael Wadrop, Jo Wood
Emergency - Kristian Whitaker (55)
Division 2 Banks v Olympic TIO Stadium 1:45pm
Field - Ray Hocking (15), Mark Atkins (17), Dean Callaghan (50)
Boundary - Rick Collister, John Rawsthorne, Jeff Gambrell
Goal - Melissa Thiele, Ferne Callaghan
Emergency - David Kennedy (2)
Division 1 Banks v Waratah TIO Stadium 4pm
Field - Tyler Higson (1), Ashley Manicaros (6), Jared Collins (14)
Boundary - Roy Baehnisch, Kathryn Flynn, Craig Windebank
Goal - Adrian Rossiter, Shaun Ostler
Emergency - Mark Noonan (20)
Premier League - Tiwi Bombers v Nightcliff TIO Stadium 6:30pm
Field - Jeff Mann (7), Simon Walker (25), Giles Lewis (32)
Boundary - Hayden Clark, Michael Simpson, Dean O'Donoghue
Goal - Darren Witham, Keith Pratt
Emergency - Mark Noonan (20)
3rd Scorer - Shaun Ostler