THE AFL Umpires Association has rewarded three debutants for their excellent seasons with the honour of controlling Sunday’s rebel VFLW Grand Final between Essendon and Southern Saints at ETU Stadium.
Connor Hawes, Kyle Van Raay and Hugo Morgan have been deemed to be the three standout umpires from the VFL Development Squad for their efforts throughout the season and all three weeks of the finals.
Hawes joined the squad from the Goulburn Valley Football Umpires Association in 2020 and has umpired 23 matches for the season.
Van Raay is in his first year on the panel after being promoted from AFL South East Umpires, taking charge of 19 matches.
Morgan was selected to join the development squad from the Eastern Football League in 2019, umpiring 20 games this season.
Lachlan Flinn has been named as the emergency umpire for the match, while Luke Myatt, Mitchell Dorling and Shaun Bourke will run the boundary and Sam Polden and Cohen Shannon are waving the flags, with Connor Petrie as their emergency.
An AFL 9s game will be played as the curtain-raiser to Sunday’s Grand Final, with Flinn and Lisa Compton-Robins named as field umpires and Bridget Saftenberger and Laura Brogan the goal umpires.
