UMPIRES CELEBRATE THE 2026 SEASON

On Tuesday night at Ford Park the YJFL umpires held their grand final appointments/awards night.

With nearly 100 people in attendance, the grand final appointments were announced along with the awards for the best performing umpires this season.

Congratulations to the following award winners:

Lawrie Barnett Best First Year Umpire – Quinn Ryan

YJFL Ford Park Training Squad – Spencer Conway

YJFL Lynden Park Training Squad – Isaac Wicklein

Park Orchards Academy – Julian Virgona

Hawthorn Citizens Academy – Xavier Kopczynski

Encouragement Award – Aidan Thomas

Most Improved Award – Audrey Nethercote

Umpire of the Year Award – Leo Moore

Golden Whistle Award – Angus Kitt

YJFL President, Rob Gould, addressed the group thanking them for the season and mentioned how proud the league was to be able to appoint 2 field umpires to every game from Under 11 through to Youth.

At the conclusion of the night AFL Head of Officiating, Stephen McBurney, announced that YJFL Umpire Coach, Neville Nash, has been selected to be the AFL Grand Final Umpire Ambassador this year and would present the medals to the grand final umpires on the MCG at the conclusion of the match.

• 

• 

•