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Des Fitzgerald

An exceptional athlete, Des Fitzgerald joined the senior VFL list in 1955, having been promoted from the VFL Reserve Grade list after umpiring the 1954 Grand Final in that competition. He began his career in round two of that year when Melbourne defeated Geelong at the MCG.

Des was so impressive in that first season that he was appointed to his first finals series. Climbing the finals appointments like a step ladder, Fitzgerald umpired a Second Semi in 1956, a Preliminary in 1957 and, in 1958, the first of his three Grand Finals.

The 1958 Grand Final was one of the most memorable of all time. Melbourne, looking for four consecutive flags, faced Collingwood, looking to defend that record which they had set between 1927 and 1930. Played on a boggy MCG and, at times, in teeming rain, there were brawls aplenty in an explosive third quarter. Collingwood were eventually victorious, and only two reports were made on the day. Two seasons later, Fitzgerald went straight to the Grand Final after having umpired the almost regulation fourteen out of eighteen home and away rounds.

The Grand Final that year provided the least effort retuning the ball to the middle with only eight goals scored for the match . (Collingwood managed two for the match two). But, it was tough slogging through the mire that was the MCG on that day after days of torrential rain. Fitzgerald added another Grand Final – 1963 Geelong versus Hawthorn.

In 1972, he returned to the finals panel after a three year break -- and the contrast between his earlier finals could not have been greater. In the 1972 Qualifying Final (the first ever played), Richmond and Collingwood combined for a total of 42 goals in a speedy contest that ranged from one end to the other, testing Fitzgerald's and his partner Kevin Mitchell's, fitness to the limits.

Des retired at the close of the home and away matches of the 1973 season with 312 VFL matches to his credit, which included 15 night series matches. He also umpired two interstate matches as well as being appointed to the 1958 Centenary of Football Carnival. Fitzgerald became a Life Member of the VFLUA in 1965.

John Geggie

John Geggie joined the senior VFL list in 1954, having been promoted from the VFL Reserve Grade list after umpiring the 1953 Grand Final in that competition. He began his career at the Western Oval in round one of that year when Footscray suffered defeat at the hands of St.Kilda.

John was so impressive in that first season that he was appointed to his first finals series. His introduction to the finals was torrid with multiple reports before the opening bounce.

The following year Geggie went straight to the Grand Final after having umpired the almost regulation 13 out of 18 home and away rounds.

The Grand Final was played in wet conditions and was low scoring as a result. The sensation of the final series occurred close to Geggie when Des Healy and Frank ‘Bluey’ Adams collided, resulting in both being stretchered from the field unconscious, and leaving field umpire Harry Beitzel, Geggie and his partner Bill Treloar to sort out an ugly melee that resulted.

Geggie’s success continued as the years rolled on. He participated in every finals series from 1954 to 1964 and, in that time, added three more Grand Finals to his tally:

  • 1957 Melbourne v. Essendon;
  • 1960 Melbourne v Collingwood;
  • and 1962 Essendon v. Carlton.
Perhaps 1960 provided the least effort returning the ball to the middle with only eight goals scored for the match (Collingwood managed two for the match). But, it was tough slogging through the mire that was the MCG on that day after two days of torrential rain.

Geggie retired at the close of the home and away matches of the 1968 season with 234 VFL matches to his credit, which included 16 night series matches. He also umpired four interstate matches including being appointed to the 1958 Centenary of Football Carnival. Geggie became a Life Member of the VFLUA in 1964.

Doug Gourlay

When Doug Gourlay was accepted onto the Victorian Football League list of goal umpires, there were 12 teams in the competition, matches were played at Windy Hill, Victoria Park, the Western Oval, Moorabbin and VFL Park and television coverage was limited to short Saturday replays and Sunday highlights.

These days he umpires in a 16-team national competition where every move is scrutinised and reviewed by observers both at the game and on video and where the skills required to perform week in week out have had to improve as the game has evolved to a higher and faster level. The furthest thing from Gourlay's mind when he walked onto VFL Park for his first senior game in 1986 was that sixteen years later he would open the 2002 season by officiating in his 250th game.

Along the way he has umpired fourteen finals, three State-of-Origin matches a Reserve Grade and Under 19 Grand Final and officiated a host of significant matches around Australia.

Remarkable matches such as Hawthorn’s amazing 55-point comeback against Geelong at a locked out Princes Park in 1989, the epic 1987 tie between Essendon and Geelong with Gary Ablett scoring a late behind to level the scores and another draw this time between Carlton and Essendon in 1993 when Steven Kernahan missed everything from a post-siren set shot that would have broken the deadlock.

Historic matches - Gourlay was there the night 'the lights went out' at Waverley in 1996 and the final match at Western Oval. In both these matches his partner was current AFL Observer Rod Davies but his recollections of the games were quite different.

He remembers, "At Waverley Rod and I sat amongst the other umpires in a pitch black change room not knowing what was going on outside. The last game at the Whitten Oval, again with Rod, and it was absolutely freezing. Certainly the coldest I have ever been umpiring a footy match."

Two matches foremost in Gourlay's memory are his two AFL Grand Finals - 1993 and most recently last year’s premiership decider. Any Grand Final is special for anyone involved but 2001 had special significance.

"This was an historic first 'flag' for Brisbane and probably represents the appointment that gave me the most satisfaction of all -especially given that it was eight years after the first one."

Those eight years had not been all plain sailing. From minor inconveniences like having his brand new hat stolen by a cheeky schoolboy after a game at the Whitten Oval to a major struggle to maintain his place on the list when all he had going for him was his belief in himself, his honour and his integrity. There was never any doubt he would survive - and prosper. On field accolades aside Gourlay has been a constant contributor to the Australian Football League Umpires' Association and the welfare of his fellow umpires. As Goal Umpires Representative he has forcefully bought issues of importance to goal umpires before the Executive Committee. His service was rewarded in 2000 with the inaugural awarding of the Leigh Keen Shield for success on the field combined with service to the Association. So after 250 AFL matches what is it about umpiring at that level that keeps Gourlay coming back year after year?

"Umpiring provides tremendous satisfaction. On a personal level it enables me to participate actively in the best sport in the world. For someone who loves footy it is a dream...and a privilege.

"It provides a chance to experience success in a competitive environment. It is a kind of 'Who dares wins'. You expose yourself to real lows and troughs so that you may experience the elation of the ultimate prize, be it a Grand Final or some other milestone.

"It is also a fantastic pursuit for self improvement. The personal qualities required of a top umpire are the same as might be required for success in life in general. I refer here to core values such as honesty, integrity and a commitment to upholding the tradition of umpiring. Finally, but certainly of no less importance than anything else said here, umpiring brings you into contact with quality people. This must be true because it really is a noble pursuit. A great many of the people that I hold in the utmost esteem are current or former umpires.

It should be no surprise that they are generally very successful umpires, but it is not necessarily their umpiring deeds that have earned them my respect. It is the qualities that they possess as people that impress me - and these are often reflected in the magnitude of their successes."

Eric Hawkins

Eric Hawkins began his VFL career in round 10, 1936 and umpired the next four weeks before being dropped to the country competitions. The following year, he umpired the final three rounds only and, after the season, resolved to give umpiring just one more season to make it to the top. It was an excellent decision.

In 1938, Hawkins umpired eighteen matches in eighteen rounds. He had missed round twelve, but had umpired on both the Saturday and the Monday of split round eight. He backed up this success by umpiring in the VFL almost every week for the next two seasons and, at the end of the 1940 season, broke through for his first final.

By 1941, Hawkins was an automatic weekly selection and the final breakthrough came that season when Hawkins, Tom Bride and Alan Coward handled one final each. But, on Grand Final day, it was Hawkins who was appointed to the premiership decider between Melbourne and Essendon. The Demons, decimated by injury, blew the full-strength Bombers away early and recorded a 29-point victory. Hawkins awarded 72 free kicks for the day and, interestingly, 20 went to the premiers and 52 to the runners up.

The following year, Hawkins became the eighth field umpire in VFL history to umpire every final in a season, and he repeated that achievement in 1943 and 1944, making twelve consecutive finals. Due to the Second World War affecting ground availability, none of these matches was played at the MCG, with eight being at Princes Park and four at the Junction Oval.

The 1944 VFL Grand Final was both Hawkins’ and Fitzroy’s last, with Hawkins retiring before the 1945 season. He had amassed 141 matches and was elected Life Member of the VFLUA in 1943 in recognition of his five years service as Association Treasurer.