It isn't a first, but in season 2023 there will be four AFL field umpires officiating matches.
In 2015 the league trialled four umpires instead of three, with AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan at the time backing the move, although it has taken until now for the league to lock in a quartet of field umpires for the home and away season.
The constant physical and mental strain on the three umpires in a high-pressure environment is a deciding reason for introducing a fourth umpire on the field permanently.
Head of umpiring Dan Richardson said the new change allows for umpires to closely monitor stoppage situations than in previous seasons.
"The fourth umpire will optimise decision making, allowing umpires to be in better positions to adjudicate a contest - whether they are stoppages through the midfield or marking contests at either end of the ground," Richardson confirmedย to AFL.com.au.
"Having two umpires at stoppages who acts as a strong deterrent to off-the-ball players from engaging in undisciplined play. Umpires will also be able to manage off-ball situations more effectively.
"We have conducted more than 600 club visits over the pre-season seeking significant feeback from club coaching staff and players around the positioning of the four umpires and their movement patterns.
"We thank the clubd for their input and feel we are well prepared as we head into the 2023 season."
Umpire abuse was one of the main talking points during season 2022, with a crackdown on abuse towards umpires coming amid decreasing participation rates of umpires at junior and community levels.
In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald in May last year, senior AFL umpire Matt Stevic recalled a time when he was physically abused when he was only 13 years old.
"You look back and think, What young kid with a reasonable mind would want to get out there and do that again, at the risk of being physically manhandled by an adult?" he said.
League general manager of umpiring Lisa Lawry says adding an additional umpire out on the field will bolster umpires to pursue the profession.
"With the reduction in physical demands and adding more positions to our umpiring team this will strengthen our work in performance, growth, and development of umpiring pathways - ensuring a strong. diverse and appealing pathway from community through to the elite level."
