A SERIOUS case of glandular fever and a torn pectoral muscle in the last two years of his playing career influenced Brent Wallace's decision to transition into umpiring.

On Sunday, his call will pay off when his journey through the Player to Umpire Pathway culminates with his AFL debut in the St Kilda-Melbourne clash at Etihad Stadium.

"I had a few injuries in the tail end of my playing career but I saw it more as a challenge and an opportunity to forge a path for myself, and thought as a career decision it would be a great thing," Wallace said on Thursday.

"I thought my skills as a player married up, I was quite a fit player and I loved the running side of the game.

"I thought my skills and hopefully leadership and stuff at a playing level came across to officiating well, so that's why I chose it and I haven't looked back since.

"It's been fantastic. I'm honoured to be going out there and umpiring the game, and to be out there as part of the AFL. 

"Maybe I didn't see myself umpiring as that five or six year-old kid but it's been great and I'm pumped and ready to get out there."

Wallace, the son of three-time premiership player and former Western Bulldogs and Richmond coach Terry Wallace, had embarked on a promising career with Box Hill five years ago after initially training with Hawthorn.

But he was cut down by glandular fever in round 12, 2010, which saw him shed 10kg and left him unable to play again that season. 

He returned for the pre-season of 2011 and played nine games in the reserves before he tore his pectoral – again in round 12 – and underwent season-ending surgery. 

It was then he decided he might be better suited to umpiring, and with the help of his father looked into the AFL program that has turned former players Jordan Bannister and Leigh Fisher into umpires. 

"It's been a fast-track system I've come through but I think at each level I've been given a lot of opportunity and I've stepped up with that opportunity," Wallace said. 

"Hopefully now I can step up to the top level." 

Wallace has served what AFL umpires coach Hayden Kennedy called a "solid apprenticeship", officiating in the VFL and NEAFL and working with two full-time coaches.

His training paid off in October last year when he was selected to umpire the VFL Grand Final, which led to his promotion to the AFL panel.

Kennedy also said the progression of ex players into umpires had helped encourage people to consider officiating as a career opportunity.

"I think it's starting to become quite an attractive and sexy thing, might I say," he said.

"When people see Brent coming out at 23 years of age, it could be quite a good career for someone whose career might be finished or cut short through an injury that can't take the rough and toughness of AFL footy."

While Kennedy said playing the game first ultimately helped umpires get a feel for their requirements as officials, Wallace said running away from the ball instead of to it was the toughest challenge.

Incidentally, Terry Wallace will be commentating at Sunday's game when his son makes his debut. 


"I told him I'd give him a juicy one early," Wallace joked.

"He's got to see it and tell it how he sees it and I'll be doing the same out on the ground.

"We'll just be doing our own thing."