Henry looks for fair play this season

Sydney Swans’ Henry Playfair has been announced as an umpire ambassador this season to help promote officiating in NSW and the ACT.

A number of initiatives are being introduced by the AFL at a state and national level to recruit and retain umpires. One of them is at the start of every AFL game, the coaches from both clubs will meet in the centre of the ground and shake hands with the umpires.

Playfair’s appointment as an umpiring ambassador is another initiative undertaken by AFL (NSW/ACT) and the Sydney Swans to address the rate of umpire’s leaving the game by informing the football community of the key message  that “umpiring is everyone’s business”.

“Umpires are vital to the game, they are a crucial part and nothing would happen without umpires,” Playfair said.

“I’ll be taking a players’ perspective and I will try and raise the awareness of umpires and try and get a few more umpires into the game.

“I am here to try and improve umpiring conditions, the environment umpires umpire in and to not lose as many as 25 percent (each year).”

Co-captain of the Sydney Swans Adam Goodes and current Brisbane Lions coach Michael Voss were umpires as kids.

Playfair said Goodes and Voss show that you can still play the game while umpiring. 

“I would definitely encourage people to become umpires. It is a great way to learn the game for kids, they learn all of the rules inside and out, they get paid pretty well at a young age and it keeps them fit as well,” he said.

“Hopefully if we keep improving everyone’s attitudes towards umpires it will be great fun for them as well.”

While Playfair’s playing days are not over he said he would like to give umpiring a go in the future.

“I umpired in the backyard a little bit and that was tough enough.”