26.09.07
Posted in Sport at 10:08 am by AB
Grand Final Day
Well the end of the season has come and gone. It was a great feeling to get to umpire in the grand final. Standing there listening to the National Anthem as you prepare to control 44 players going in to battle was a pretty surreal feeling. That feeling soon disappears though as the ball is bounced and the teams go at it. This year’s grand final was played between Queanbeyan and the Sydney Swans Reserves and as Grand Finals so often do, it delivered a good contest. It was strange, I hadn’t really thought about it too much during the week but upon arrival at the ground it was obvious that the day was something different.
During the week I had been placed on a course of medications to try and relieve the recently diagnosed exercise induced asthma. As such I felt that it was the most free I had been able to run all season. It made a big difference, and I felt a lot more comfortable on the field than I had all season. It’s hard to put it all into words but it certainly was a great experience. In the end the Sydney Swans Reserves were a little too strong for Queanbeyan, but the Tigers put up one hell of a show. Thanks to Mick, Greg, Luke, Michael, Dave, Kate and Matt who formed the umpiring team along with me. And to the Queanbeyan club official who called us F…… C… as we were in the tunnel after the game do us all a favour and during the summer, grab a mirror and have a long hard look at yourself.
Boundaries v Fieldies
Last night was the annual Boundary Umpires versus Field Umpires grudge match. In what was possibly the worst game played at Greenway Oval all season the Umpires gathered to settle disputes that have been raging since the corresponding game last year. The Boundaries looked like they would have the legs to out run the Field umpires, but just before the bounce down the Fieldies were able to take 18 on to the field. The Fieldies were able to assert some physical dominance early and let by stellar performances from Michael Kennealy, Rob Sirr, Aaron Gladki Alice Broughton, Peter Auld and Elise O’Dea were able to control the game from Siren to Siren.
The game was played in the usual sledging nature with players using their mouths to make up for the lack of skill. In the end the Field Umpires were able to able to run out to a 9 goal victory.
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22.09.07
Posted in Sport at 2:12 pm by AB
It’s been a big week this week. Tuesday night we had the AFL Canberra Umpires Grand Final Appointments night. I was fortunate enough to have had a reasonably good season and knew that i had umpired pretty well over the first two weeks of the finals. I was therefore hoping i could be a chance to earn a start in the AFL Canberra Grand Final. You attend these functions hoping to hear your name announced, but not until it is do you allow yourself to get to excited. Anyway getting to the point i have been appointed to the Grand Final alongside Michael Kennealy and Greg Healy (who will also be doing his first grand final).
Also happening this week is that i finally got some answers about my breathing problem. It seems somehow i have developed exercise induced asthma. So that explains the shortness of breath and inability to feel comfortable while exercising. Now armed with three new medications i might be able to actually approach something similar to normal. This means i also might be able to make a return to triathlon.
Till next time!
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12.09.07
Posted in Sport at 8:55 am by AB
I must have done something right on the weekend as I am back again this weekend; either that or I am getting the pity game and three others are already pencilled in for the big one next week. Needless to say the appointments have been handed out for the AFL Canberra Preliminary Finals and I have been given the nod in the big Belconnen v Queanbeyan matchup. Given the strength of the Sydney Swans Reserves over this season and the last couple of seasons the Preliminary Final has become one of the biggest games on the calendar. I’m looking forward to the challenge and enjoying what game day brings. Praying for good weather; last Saturday didn’t exactly turn out the best of weather.
Hopefully a strong performance will put me into the mix for the Grand Final the week after. For now the focus is solely on this weekend’s game.
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05.09.07
Posted in Sport at 10:00 am by AB
September… The grass looks greener, the weather is warmer, the air smells sweeter, and football takes on a whole new dimension. Ladies and Gentlemen, September is finals. The crowds grow, the stakes rise and the football becomes fast, frenetic and furious. Yes I am aware that essentially those three adjectives imply pretty much the same thing, but it’s a fair indication of how football is played this time of year.
The AFL Canberra finals get under way this week and while I congratulate all the teams who have made it this far; let’s talk about the other side of the coin for a while. I’m referring of course about those who make the sacrifice to umpire football in Canberra; those men and women who get out there each week and make sure the game comes together.
The hard men and women of orange have been training since well before the season has begun, continued to slog it out on the training track two nights a week (and lets be honest when all you have to look forward to week after week at training is running it’s a struggle at times) and finally their moment has arrived too. Like players the chance to participate in a Grand Final is the ultimate for any umpire, whether it is at the MCG on the last Saturday in September or the U18’s at Manuka Oval it’s something an umpire will remember for ever.
Competition for position is tight; a club playing in a Grand final gets to choose 22 players. For the umpires only 8 will participate in the match, and when you narrow it down to individual disciplines it’s even less, because there is no way a Field Umpire would be caught running the Boundary. The pressure is frightening; a player might miss a goal or two in a game, but if his team wins he’s likely to keep his spot the next week. An umpire misses one or two obvious decisions… well that’s their season done. The scrutiny that the umpires coaching staff places on umpires rises, no stone is left unturned.
At the end of the day though that’s why we do it, it’s a challenge. Like anything in life when the pressure mounts, those that can handle it will stand out and earn their accolades. The 44 umpires this week have proven that they can consistently do the job during the proceeding 21 rounds; yet only 24 will remain on Grand Final Day. Cutting half your team in 2 weeks, what football club does that this time of year?
Congratulations to all umpires who had received the nod for this week.
2nd Semi Finals:
Seniors - E McDonald, A Broughton, K Tingey, M Baker, C Simms, L Roberts, J Savage, C Larter
Reserves - R Powell, B McGlynn, P Baldwin, D O’Dea, T Hocking, J Jenkin, K Griffiths
U/18’s - R Sirr, J Savage, K Jones, D Decarvahlo, B Decarvahlo, C Seveque, R O’Dea
1st Semi Finals:
Seniors - M Kennealy, G Healy, A Rowles, D Hutchinson, J Smith, S Vincent, D Puren, K Pratt
Reserves - A Gladki, L Harrison, S Lawrence, N Smith, T Wilke, P White, M Ferguson
U/18’s - M Goiser, R Hutchings, L Broadhurst, A Elmitt, C Hughes, A Wood, R Harrison
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03.09.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:56 am by AB
Well spring has sprung and I decided it’s time to fire the blog back into action. As you can probably see it’s been a while since I have added anything. So what’s news you ask?
Well I am still having issues when it comes to breathing and the ability to do any exercise that requires a high heart rate and maximum exertion. I have however, had some tests done and I have an appointment with the Sports Doctor very soon. Hopefully we’ll work out what is wrong and then can begin to treat it, and I can be back on the road to recovery. I need to get back on the road to as I am out to an unflattering 86.0kg (189.2lbs) as of this morning. I did manage a ride with Danielle and Roger on the weekend who tore it up and were successful at dropping me on many occasions. Even having to wait for me on the top of the climb on the time trial course. Plans are being made for the next triathlon challenges I have up my sleeve so stay tuned for information on those.
Football Finals start this week in the AFL Canberra competition and I am hopeful of getting a chance to umpire a final or two this season. It’s been a long season and at times felt like it was never going to end, but the end is in sight now and with only three weeks to go hopefully I can end the season on a high note.
Well I better build into these things I don’t want to overdo it just yet, but look for an increased level of blogging going forward.
Also congratulations to all Tridents members who raced at the Triathlon World Championships on the weekend, and a big congratulations to Team Danni’s bike mechanic, Aaron Farlow who finished 5th in the Singapore Half Ironman, beating some big names in Long Distance Triathlon in the process.
Cheers all!
Aaron
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