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Without them there is no game...

16 Feb 10


David Dixon in action

 I often mused when growing up: “What on earth would make someone take up footy umpiring and enjoy the insults and abuse that came with it”?

During my childhood, I was sure it was normal practice to be an overzealous critic of umpires and it was okay to hurl foul language at these individuals. After all, how many times have the men in white (or red, yellow, orange or other pastel colours these days) conspired to lose a game of footy for my beloved teams?

Players never make mistakes!

As I grew up (only in age) I was sure that only barrackers of other teams were one-eyed and I was far more subjective in my assessment of everything to do with the officials of our great game.

Coming to know an umpire changed my perspective on umpiring, provided me with an answer to my childhood question and made me realise that not every footy player was of equal skill.

Over the last five or so years I have come to know David Dixon, AFL Goal Umpire and appreciate the sacrifices he has made and continues to make to achieve the ultimate in footy.

Outside of family, friends, peers and work colleagues most football supporters would only know the officials of our national sport by the numbers printed in the weekly footy record. David hasn’t even been afforded the opportunity to wear his lucky or favorite number.

2009 saw David became the first goal umpire to be given the honour of All Australian twice following the same achievement in 2005. Amongst his other credits in 2009, David took centre stage in his 200th AFL senior match. Whilst he did not get a banner to run through he will have a good “collection of photos from the day” which he will look back on with pride once he holds up the white flags for the last time. Finally, and arguably most importantly, David officiated in his third Grand Final, following on from 2000 and 2005.

So what makes a twice ‘crowned’ All Australian goal umpire want to be an umpire and keep pursuing a career where scrutiny from the public and media has increased dramatically in the last ten years?

Growing up, David was like any normal lad for his age joining his “grandparents and parents watching footy…” which ignited the desire to just “be a part of it”. David realised early on that he wasn’t going to be good enough to play, so he did the next best thing in his mind: he took up umpiring.

“The love for the game meant I wanted to be involved in any way I could” he emphasised.

Goal umpiring wasn’t initially on his radar when he “sent a letter to the Footscray & District Umpires Association…” as David ended up running the boundary for five years. Whilst “running the boundary keeps you fit…” David wanted to be more involved.

David noted that if others had pursued their ‘non playing’ dreams and achieved them then “that’s what I wanted to do”.

After joining the Victorian Football League, David was fortunate enough to progress quickly through the “…semi professional under 18s competition” and he managed to umpire his first under 18s and VFL reserves game in 1995. Throughout the next two years he never wavered from his goal and continued to improve in the VFL ranks.
Since making his AFL senior debut in 1998, the 200 plus game ‘veteran’ has noted significant changes. None of which have made his desire to continue at the highest level diminish.

David openly declares that he “…just wants to do everything perfectly during a game but it gets harder and harder each year with the speed of the game increasing and the heightened scrutiny of umpire’s mistakes”.

Whilst the majority of the football news in this town focuses on the feats and misdemeanors of individual players and clubs, the umpires feel similar pressure.
David ponders his response to a question regarding the general footy mad public and quips that “…most of the cheer squads are good but if mistakes are made and it’s a field umpire issue, you as the goal umpire also cop the brunt”.

Despite the heightened scrutiny from different angles and the increase in speed, David still has a love for the game that caught his attention as a young child.

“You wouldn’t turn up next week if you didn’t”, David stated categorically.
Who knows how many more games David will officiate in as it is in his words, “more mentally draining than physically draining” but the decision would surely be made easier with the ongoing support of ”my wife, my mum and my sister who never miss a game”.

So what makes anyone take up what appears to be a thankless job?

In David’s case he just wanted to play footy like his local and (at the time) VFL heroes but realised early that umpiring would perhaps provide him with the same sense of achievement and satisfaction.

Next time you ponder what makes a person take up umpiring, think about your response. Ask yourself if you have set foot on the hallowed turf three times on the last Saturday of September as a participant and been named the best in your chosen field twice.

David Dixon has.

Remember fellow footy tragic, without them there is no game.


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