Call for umpires as Tasmanian football leagues faces critical shortages

Matthew Phillips's involvement in football did not stop when he hung up his playing boots five years ago.

He jumped straight into umpiring and has not looked back.

«I know they're always screaming out for umpires so it was an opportunity to give a little bit back to the game and help out and do what I can,» Mr Phillips said.

«I figured I'd either be standing at the bar supporting my local club or I'd be sitting on the couch at home doing not much, so I thought it's a good way to stay involved in football whilst also giving me something to do for a few hours on a weekend and keeping my fitness up to a certain degree.»

With the football season just around the corner, an urgent call has gone out for former players to join the umpiring ranks.

AFL Tasmania and the state's umpiring associations are calling for ex-players to pick up a whistle and take up umpiring to help address umpire shortages.

They have launched a «Refer a Retiree» campaign that urges members of the Tasmanian football community to reach out to recently retired players to boost umpiring numbers.

AFL Tasmania head Damian Gill said ex-players should give umpiring a try.

«Umpiring clubs are just like footy clubs, the same sort of camaraderie, same level of fitness, you also get paid for it,» he said. 

«It is a really fulfilling pastime, it's an awesome way to stay engaged in the game.»

For years, Tasmanian football leagues have struggled to recruit and retain umpires. 

Umpire abuse from spectators is one issue.

«Umpire abuse is a factor and it's something as a game from AFL all the way down to AFL Tasmania we're trying to get on top of,» Mr Gill said.

«It's not good enough that umpires get abused and we want to raise the bar in terms of spectator behaviour.»

As some Victorian