Recently retired AFL stars Joel Selwood and Erin Phillips have been added to the league’s soccer division amid sweeping adjustments which embrace a transfer for umpires to report back to a brand new boss in 2024.
Current umpires boss Dan Richardson has been moved on from the position in a restructure of the division, with former Essendon soccer boss Josh Mahoney to take over the portfolio with a “head of officiating” to work below him.
The league will perform a search to fill the brand new place, whereas Richardson will change into teaching engagement officer and function a liaison between AFL and AFLW mentors and the league administration.
Mahoney stop his position at Essendon mid-season earlier than becoming a member of a new-look soccer division led by government common supervisor of soccer operations Laura Kane.
Selwood and Phillips will fill roles targeted on the “on-field football product” and “player engagement”, a league assertion launched on Thursday mentioned.
“I am so pleased that we have secured the knowledge, insight and experience of two of our games most respected leaders to work within our footy department,” Kane mentioned.
“Erin and Joel’s on-field achievements speak for themselves; I am very much looking forward to them joining our recent appointments in Josh Mahoney and Geoff Walsh and making an immediate impact to our broader AFL football operations team.”
The adjustments to how umpires are ruled comes after a string of controversial incidents in the course of the season, with inconsistent interpretations of the league’s dissent rule and points with the aim assessment system, together with a disastrous determination in spherical 23 which value Adelaide a finals spot, irritating followers and commentators.
The new head of officiating could be chargeable for umpiring throughout all competitions together with the state leagues and expertise pathways, and take cost of the ARC system, the assertion mentioned.
Umpiring common supervisor Lisa Lawry will shift to a place targeted on bringing extra girls into the umpiring ranks, and might be accountable for discovering an umpiring efficiency centre to develop officers.
“Lisa has done a fantastic job in creating environments and pathway programs dedicated for women and girls to start and progress in umpiring,” Kane mentioned.
“Her new role will amplify and promote this important focus area for us.
“As we continue to invest in high performance training for our umpires, we are investing the possibility of a new dedicated facility in which Lisa will lead this work, with the end goal providing the best facilities available to umpires or officials in the country.”
Source: www.news.com.au
