UMPIRES 
Umpires, while very necessary to the game,
are some of the forgotten in football. Week after week these unlucky
people don their white clobber striding out on the oval always
able to only please half the spectators at any given time. But
above all it is their love for the game and the challenge to adjudicate
correctly which keeps them going. Certainly, it was not monetary
reward as umpires were paid $30 per game in 1984 and $40 in the
early 90's.
(James Dann and Ron Buckey 1986: after the
Grand Final)
Like most country towns, it has always been
difficult recruiting umpires and keeping them in Broome. 'Red'
wrote about this in 1980.
"Football is the traditional blood sport
that seems to appease players violent urges that would surface
elsewhere and create havoc in the town. (Apparently punches thrown
on the field don't count if you can laugh about them over a beer
afterwards; too bad if you don't have any teeth left to laugh
with again. Again, umpiring is at a critical stage with all last
years umpires grabbing a brain and opting out. Well, who wants
to be the most hated man in town; for zero bucks. The solution:
Pay good money and you'll get good umpires."
Two years further on 'Red' offered some timely
advice on how to help the umpires.:
'And the Bleat goes on'
"Whilst the standard of umpiring is gradually
improving, the umpires are still doing it the hard way. It's enough
to be maligned and abused by spectators without coping it from
the players. Abusive language directed to the umpires is an offence
but many of the umpires seem to accept it. Some may handle it
but it is noticeable in recent matches that there has been last
quarter crack ups by the umpires, often following what amounts
to harassment by the players. We have the send off rule and it
must be enforced. Give the umpire a mouthful and you should find
yourself on the side. But they cry: You have to give a warning
first. So, player A drops player B with a good left hook, breaking
his jaw in the process. Enter the umpire. "This is your first
warning, don't do it again." Codswallop.
But the lack of umpires continued on, so much
so that the 1986 season was in jeopardy.
"Whilst on the field they have the protection
(flimsy and inadequate as it may be) of the tribunal. Off the
field and indeed whilst they are officiating they receive physical
and verbal assaults from spectators. Adequate compensation would
be in the range of $100 a game, which would make it pay to be
the most hated man in Broome and make up for the fact that it's
risky to venture into pubs on Sunday nights."
Happily by 1992, the Panel had become quite
strong with most umpires achieving Level 1 accreditation standard
and were helped with sponsorship from the R & I Bank for their
uniforms.
Umpires advisers over the last 20 years include:
John Pedley (1970-75), Fr Mac (1976-80), Kevin Cox (1981-82),
Kel Ter Haar (1983-86), Evan Hyde (1987-88), Brian Kane (1989-92),
David Wearne (1993) Dave Rowe 1994-95, Russell Younger 1996.
The men in white 1993:
While many people believe that umpires are
a necessary evil, they are a very important part of our game.
The West Kimberley Football Association Umpires panel recognises
this fact and have through dedication over a number of years produced
a steady stream of good umpires for this association.
The WKFA Umpires Panel has had its most successful
season in 1993. Among the achievements this year are:
1. New uniforms with CRA and Ansett Sponsorship
2. Appointment of Umpires Coordinator (Dave Wearne) and a three
member Umpires Board (Dave Wearne, Dave Rowe and Brian Kane)
3. Recruiting of umpires through advertising.
4. Introduction to Level Two Accreditation.
5. Training and meetings held every Wednesday.
6. Invitations to all clubs to use umpires at training and Team
visits.
7. Two Field and Two Boundary umpires appointed to every Senior
game. Colts also covered.
8. Visits by Dave Johnson and Derrick Ernst (WAFL).
THE FOLLOWING TABLE WAS DRAWN UP AT THE
COMPLETION OF THE 1995 SEASON
|
FINALS |
GRAND |
TOTAL GAMES |
FIRST |
|
|
FINALS |
|
UMPIRED |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dave Johnson |
33 |
6 |
225 |
1980 |
|
Phil Matsumoto |
0 |
0 |
134 |
1977 |
|
Brian Kane |
7 |
1 |
118 |
1982 |
|
John Litherland |
17 |
2 |
109 |
1984 |
|
Kevin Cox |
0 |
0 |
78 |
1978 |
|
Dave Rowe |
12 |
3 |
71 |
1991 |
|
Fr McMahon |
0 |
0 |
63 |
1976 |
|
Kel Ter Haar |
6 |
0 |
60 |
1983 |
|
Owen Torres |
0 |
0 |
51 |
1979 |
|
John Lane |
4 |
1 |
50 |
1992 |
|
Evan Hyde |
0 |
0 |
50 |
1987 |
|
Ron Corpus |
3 |
1 |
48 |
1988 |
|
Ron Wade |
0 |
0 |
46 |
1986 |
|
James Dann |
1 |
1 |
44 |
1986 |
|
Mel Mason |
1 |
0 |
41 |
1987 |
|
Grant Adams |
8 |
3 |
34 |
1991 |
|
Alan Thornton |
3 |
1 |
29 |
1989 |
|
Butch Chesson |
0 |
0 |
20 |
1990 |
|
David Wearne |
1 |
0 |
16 |
1993 |
|
Jeff Davis |
0 |
0 |
5 |
1992 |
Grant Adams umpired 15 games in 1997 including
2 semis and in 1998 he umpired 30 games including 3 finals.
In all Grant umpired 6 Grand Finals and he umpired 112 games
James Dann umpires his first Grand Final in 1986. By the
end of the 2004 he had umpired 5 Grand Finals and umpired 150 games.
