The AFL has confirmed the umpiring panel for the 2025 NAB AFLW Grand Final between the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos and the Brisbane Lions at IKON Park on Saturday night.
Field umpire Joshua Ball has been selected for his first AFLW Grand Final and will officiate alongside Gabby Simmonds and Sam Nippress.
It will be the second Grand Final appearance for both Simmonds (2024) and Nippress (2023), while Gen Devenish has been named as the emergency field umpire.
On the boundary, Riley Guerin, Cooper Ranie, Madeleine Lum and Sam Beer will each officiate their first AFLW Grand Final. Mitchell O’Neill has been named as the emergency boundary umpire.
Goal umpires Jack Stammers and Michael Button will also officiate their first AFLW Grand Final, while Brad Kellett has been named as the emergency goal umpire.
The panel has a combined 424 AFLW games of experience, including 64 finals appearances.
Simmonds and Nippress are the most experienced members of the nine-strong umpiring panel, with 68 and 65 games respectively, followed by Lum, who earns her AFLW Grand Final debut after 60 games.
AFL Head of Officiating Stephen McBurney congratulated the umpires on their selection for the 2025 NAB AFLW Grand Final.
“On behalf of the AFL, I would like to congratulate all the umpires selected for the 2025 NAB AFLW Grand Final. Their form this season has been outstanding, and they’ve rightfully earned their spot in Saturday night’s decider,” McBurney said.
“It is especially exciting for the seven umpires who will be taking part in their first AFLW Grand Final, and we wish the whole panel the best for the big game.
“I also want to thank every field, boundary and goal umpire who has officiated an AFLW game this year – we could not run the competition without their contribution.”
The North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos and Brisbane Lions will face off in the NAB AFLW Grand Final for the third consecutive year at IKON Park, with the action getting underway on Saturday night at 7.45pm AEDT.
2025 NAB AFLW Grand Final umpiring panel and officials:
Field umpires: Gabby Simmonds, Sam Nippress, Joshua Ball
Boundary umpires: Riley Guerin, Cooper Ranie, Madeleine Lum, Sam Beer
Goal umpires: Jack Stammers and Michael Button
Emergency field umpire: Gen Devenish
Emergency boundary umpire: Mitchell O’Neill
Emergency goal umpire: Brad Kellett
Timekeepers: Jessie Woolford & Roger Le Grand
Interchange Stewards: Stefanie Middleton & Dylan Rawack
Umpire Trainers: Caroline Higham & Emily De Wind
Ball Stewards: Isabel Fraser & Tim Wood
Score Assist Official: David Parker
