The umpires had a tough night. Then Gillon McLachlan called

June 25, 2026 — 11:50am

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There was a line in the first episode of the new ABC comedy Ground Up that made me chuckle and gave me pause for thought simultaneously.

Sam Pang’s character Hugh Shen is talking to his lackey, Jameson. “If I can pull this project off, I can be the AFL CEO ... if I f--- it up, I’ll end up head of umpiring.”

The chuckle was because it was funny, the pause to think … Well, a few years back I was the head of umpiring.

Is that job really looked upon that unfavourably?

When Mark Evans, who was the general manager of football at the AFL, called to ask if I was interested in the head of umpiring role vacated by Jeff Gieschen, the thought immediately intrigued me.

Some people in football are fascinated by the rules and umpiring. In all my time as a player or coach, I’d not taken even a passing interest.

But once I accepted the role, I was all in. I immersed myself and loved it. We tried as best we could to replicate an AFL football program with a head coach, assistant coaches, an analyst, leadership groups and the like. But in so many ways it was different. Way different.

Firstly, you “play” nine games every weekend, not one. And if you play nine games, even when you’re really good, you’re bound to lose a couple. In umpiring the “wins” get glossed over, but by........

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