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Jack Irving

Jack ‘Roughnut’ Irving came to the VFL late in his umpiring career after achieving great success in the VFA. He umpired six Association Grand Finals in eight years before joining the VFL in 1958. It took only five matches in the Reserve Grade before he was promoted to senior VFL football.

In only three finals series between 1960-2, Jack umpired two grand finals and two preliminary finals. This included a Grand Final in his first finals series. He represented Victoria in the ANFC Carnival in Brisbane in 1961.

Irving paid one of the most controversial free kicks in finals history during his final game. At the 28 minute mark of the 1962 Preliminary Final replay, Carlton led Geelong by 5 points. With the timekeeper’s finger poised over the siren button, Pomeroy passed to Wooller. The Geelong captain’s kick was marked by Wade thirty metres out, straight in front. The crowd screamed as it seemed the Cats would steal the game. However, Irving ran up, took the ball from Wade and gave it to Carlton fullback Peter Barry who cleared as the siren sounded. Irving had correctly paid the free kick against Wade who had reached back and grabbed Barry’s shorts.

After retirement, Irving became advisor to the VFL Reserve Grade umpires, a position he held for more than a decade. In 1972 ‘Ruffie’ became Senior Assistant advisor to the VFL senior list and held that position until the end of the 1976 season when he returned to the Reserve Grade. Hundreds of senior umpires had their careers positively influenced by Irving and were the beneficiaries of his wise counsel over many seasons.

Irving was awarded an Order of Australia in recognition of his services to umpiring. He was elected to life membership of the VFLUA in 1963.

Hayden Kennedy

The cancellation of the Australian Football League’s season launch in March 2003 also put on hold the presentation of AFL Life Memberships. Hayden Kennedy was one of those due to receive that award having umpired more than 300 senior matches in all competitions. At the time, 294 of those matches were in either the AFL Premiership season or Finals Series. This week Hayden umpires his 300th AFL senior match in Friday night’s Kangaroos versus Adelaide match.

“I have only thought about 300 games in the last 3 or 4 years. I always thought I had the ability to get there, but I got a fright last year when I missed 10 games with injury. It would have been great to get it last year, as my goal had been to reach it in 2002.”

However, there is a lot of work before any umpire debuts at AFL level. Hayden began with the Essendon District Football League in 1983 and, after showing immediate promise, was recruited to the VFL cadet squad the following year. An early career influence in the Under 19s was Glenn James. Kennedy recalls that, “Jamesy ran a half shadowing me and taught me how to run and where to run to. I also spent a year in the Northern Territory in 1987 / 88 and that helped me significantly.”

The lessons were well learned and, after umpiring the 1986 VFL Under 19s Grand Final, Kennedy was promoted to the VFL senior list the following year and began umpiring VFL Reserve Grade and country football fixtures.

The road to 300 began in August 1988 with a high scoring thriller at Princes Park. Carlton pipped North Melbourne by four points – 147-131. Kennedy’s partner on the day was a fellow 300 game umpire Peter Cameron.

Early in his senior career Kennedy received more assistance from another AFL Life Member.

“Kevin Smith sat down with me after a Sydney and Carlton game and we worked through the first half of the game off the video looking for ways to improve.”

For the next four seasons Kennedy did improve, toiled hard building experience and, in 1992, was appointed to his first AFL Finals Series. He umpired the Qualifying Final between Geelong and North Melbourne and more finals over the ensuing seasons led to a remarkable finals campaign in 1995.

After 21 home and away games, Kennedy officiated in all four weeks of the finals. He was only the 11th field umpire to accomplish this and, perhaps more remarkably, the first since Alan Nash in 1957, 38 years earlier. His first Grand Final, Carlton versus Geelong, was shared with boundary umpire Allan Cook. Both had been field umpires together on the cadet squad at the beginnings of their careers and both reached the pinnacle of achievement on the same day having followed very different paths.

Since that first Grand Final breakthrough, Kennedy went from strength to strength, umpiring Grand Finals in 1997, 1998 and 2000 as well as taking part in every finals series. Other prestige appointments and honours have also been attained, including three State of Origin appointments and being named All Australian Umpire in 1997. He attained Life Membership of the AFL Umpires’ Association in 1993. Having been involved in the VFL/AFL arena for a decade and a half, Hayden is very aware of the differences in umpiring since he began.

“Umpiring has changed heaps since I debuted in 1988. Although we don’t run as far in games, scrutiny from the media has increased. Our list size has decreased, and I back that the average age of umpires has decreased. We are required to provide a greater commitment with interstate travel, training and other responsibilities such as media and club functions. We are now better bouncers of the ball and, I believe, we have reduced the number of major errors we make in a game.” Throughout his career, Kennedy has faced any number of set backs ranging from injury to lapses of form, but has always had great support.

“There have been many obstacles and to tell you the truth I don’t know what the best method of getting over them is. I know that we have a certain group of friends and family who support us through the tough times and, I suppose, as long as you enjoy their company, the obstacles shouldn't appear as big. I have many influences on my career, none more so than my parents and my wife who have been constant and loyal supporters.”

As one of the most experienced AFL field umpires, Hayden has the respect of all his team mates. “Hayden's work ethic is an example to the rest of the group,” notes one current umpire.

Recent colleague and AFLUA President, David Howlett recalls, “Hayden’s athletic ability provided him with the base for what has been an outstanding career, achieving every honour in AFL umpiring. While he had the base, Hayden has worked tirelessly on the decision making component of his game allowing him to be among the best umpires of recent years."

Now that he has 300 matches under his belt, Kennedy will have much pleasure in accepting the AFL’s recognition of his service.

“I am tickled pink about the Life Membership - it has really hit home now that I have passed the milestone. I feel rewarded for the work and effort you put into umpiring - it is obviously a great honour.”

Herbert Kent

Herbie Kent’s career as the VFL’s most prolific boundary umpire began at the Lake Oval on 3 May 1941. During the next four seasons he combined his umpiring with a serious athletic career and war work. It was at the end of the 1944 season that he experienced finals action for the first time when he was appointed to the Second- Semi Final. The following year he was in the finals again and ran the Preliminary Final which many claim was more of a bloodbath than the following weeks 1945 Grand Final. There were open brawls, with liberal use of the fist and boots, and, in a screaming finish Carlton kicked seven goals three in nineteen minutes to steal victory from five goals behind. It was a violent time in football and Kent was one of the umpiring who had to be protected by police with batons as they left Princes Park following an unlikely North Melbourne victory in 1948. Consistent performances and finals in five of the next six seasons took Kent’s tally of VFL matches to 170 but his 171st was to be a watershed as he finally broke through with his first Grand Final. In 1952 Geelong took it’s second successive flag and Herb was on the boundary.

In 1956 Kent was appointed to Grand Final number two – Melbourne v. Collingwood - and three seasons later his third, another Demon victory, this time over Essendon. Successful in home and away, finals and also in interstate fixtures (four) Kent became the first boundary umpire to officiate in 300 when he took the field late in 1961. He would cap that year with this fourth and last Grand Final. Herbert Kent retired from the VFL at the end of the 1963, 23 seasons and 330 matches after he began. He became a life member of the VFLUA in 1954, and was a nominee for the AFLUA Team of the Century.

Les Koochew

AFLUA Life member Les Koochew umpired in the period when VFL umpires officiating in country leagues were viewed as men to be respected by local players, officials and even supporters both on the field and during many post match celebrations. While he never umpired senior VFL football Les was indeed respected all over Victoria, Southern New South Wales and Tasmania where he represented the VFL with distinction.

Leslie Dalker Koochew was born in Kyneton on 9 July 1923 the son of Wally Koochew, former Carlton Football Cub player and the first ever VFL footballer with Chinese heritage. Les had few memories of his father who died when he was young but was proud of his achievements. It is most likely that Les himself led the way in umpiring ranks as the first 'man in white' of Chinese descent.

Speaking to Tony DeBolfo in 2003 Les said, "I believe nationality has nothing to do with football,' he said. 'It shouldn't matter where you're born or what you look like. It doesn't mean a thing." Les began his umpiring career officiating for suburban clubs after his demobilisation from the AIF in 1946. He had spent the previous four years serving in 'C ' Company, the 5th Australian Infanty Battalion. Accepted onto the VFL list of field umpires in 1948 he travelled Victoria for twelve of the next fourteen seasons missing only 1952 and 1954 before his retirement at the conclusion of 1961. He had received Life Membership of the VFLUA the previous year.

The friendships that Les made in umpiring were important and enduring. Only last year when asked his most memorable moment he answered not a Grand Final, not a close game and not a great decision but, "When my umpiring colleagues George Hamid and Frank Leverett journeyed to Bendigo to attend my wedding. It was a great expression of comradeship." And clearly one that stayed with him throughout his life.

Les Koochew died on 18 March, aged 81 and is survived by his wife Lois and numerous children and grand children. Picture: Les Koochew, proudly displays the May 1908 Carlton team photograph of which his father was a member. Courtesy

http://www.chaf.lib.latrobe.edu.au/ko ochew.htm and Tony De Bolfo.

Lindsay Lancaster

Boundary umpire
1934-1944
181 matches

Goal umpire
1945-1947
47 matches

Combined
32 finals
12 Grand Finals

Lindsay Lancaster's contribution to umpiring and Australian Football extended from a successful on-field career through to service to the VFLUA as an Executive Member and to the VFL as a member of the Umpires' Appointment Board. After two seasons service to the VFA as a boundary umpire, Lindsay joined the VFL in 1934 in the same capacity -- and thus began a career unparalleled before or since. In his eleven seasons as a VFL boundary umpire, he umpired eleven VFL Grand Finals!!

These games were part of a 181 VFL match record and included a record 29 finals matches and two interstate matches. Lindsay retired from the boundary in 1945 and immediately transferred to the goals where he was placed on the senior list. Over the next three years, he added 47 games to his tally, with the 1947 Grand Final being the pinnacle of his time in the goals.

In all, Lindsay's career spanned 228 VFL matches, 32 finals and an astonishing 12 Grand Finals. Off the field during those years, he was heavily involved in Association affairs.

Treasurer from 1935-37 and Secretary from 1938-44, it was Lindsay's stewardship that saw the VFLUA through the dark, wartime years. The Association maintained links with many of its members in the armed services and it was Lancaster who corresponded with them on the VFLUA's behalf. In 1941, Lindsay was elected Life Member of the VFLUA.

After some time off from direct involvement in umpiring, Lindsay returned in 1950 as a member of the VFL Umpires' Appointment Board. He was a member of the board for the next 21 seasons and, for three of those, was Chairman. In 1970, he was awarded the ANFC Certificate of Merit for outstanding services to football – one of the few umpires so honoured. In addition, he was also a VFLUA Special Award recipient for outstanding service to the Association by a Life Member. Lindsay Lancaster is a member of the AFLUA Team of the Century.

John Lucas

John Lucas holds a number of firsts in his 17 season VFL career as a goal umpire. He umpired in the first round of the newly formed Victorian Football League; he umpired the first Grand Final in 1898, and umpired the first match for premiership points outside Victoria (Sydney 1903). He also holds some significant seconds. He was the second umpire to reach 200 VFL matches and the second man elected to Life Membership of the then fledgling VFL Umpires’ Association.

Lucas had umpired in the Victorian Football Association before joining the VFL in its inaugural season, 1897. In round one he officiated at the Fitzroy versus Carlton match at the Brunswick Street Oval. That season he umpired in nine of the fourteen rounds and one of the play off finals that decided the premiership.

The VFL changed the finals system in 1898 and the first Grand Final was played. Fitzroy defeated Essendon in a match that provided little work for goal umpires Lucas and Frederick Franks with only a combined eight goals thirteen behinds being kicked for the day.

Season 1903 saw Fitzroy and Collingwood play at the SCG and Lucas joined Ivo Crapp and George Clapham as umpires for the fixture. Photographs show Lucas attired in his Sunday-best suit and bowler hat as Collingwood overran Fitzroy in front of a bumper crowd which included the Governor-General. Low scoring was a feature of early football and the 1905 Grand Final was no exception.

Lucas and Harry O’Bern umpired in what would be Ivo Crapp’s last VFL appointment and Fitzroy (4.6.30) defeated the Magpies (2.5.17) The 1906 Grand Final was played between Carlton and Fitzroy in front of a record crowd of 44 000 and Lucas was appointed after having also umpired the Second-Semi. The first Interstate Football Carnival was held in 1908 and Lucas was appointed to SA v. Tasmania & SA v. WA, but they were the only major matches for a number of seasons. Lucas’s last Grand Final was the 1910 Carlton-Collingwood match that was little more than a rolling brawl which involved all 36 players and in which four reported players received suspensions ranging from one to one and a half seasons.

Lucas became the second umpire to reach 200 VFL matches on 29 June 1912 and completed his career mid way through the 1913 season with a total of 209.

The VFLUA had been formed in 1909 and Lucas had been active from it’s inception as a committee member. In 1913 he was elected President and in 1914 was also elected a Life Member.