Umpires behind explosive AFL moments set to win grand final spots
The AFL is set to appoint umpire Hayden Meyer for the grand final, a week on from his preliminary final adjudication that flipped the result of the game.
The field umpire pinged Hawthorn’s Jarman Impey for holding the ball in the final minute of Saturday’s thriller at the MCG. It gave Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage a close range shot for goal, which he converted to put the Lions ahead and win the game.
Hayden Meyer was the umpire who made the tough call - and it was the right call. Fox Footy, Instagram
As reported by nine.com.au on Sunday, Meyer received significant internal praise for the call, which has been backed across the industry as the right one. He is viewed as the league’s most in-form official internally.
It will be his third AFL grand final as a field umpire, after 2023 and 2025.
He was confronted aggressively by Hawks pair James Sicily and Tom Barrass after the match. They were fined $10,000 and $5000 respectively for doing so.
Nine.com.au can confirm Meyer will be joined by veteran Brett Rosebury, who also umpired the Hawthorn-Brisbane game on Saturday. It will be his 10th AFL grand final, but his first since 2021.
The other two field umpires for the grand final will be Nick Foot and Brendon Hosking, with Nathan Williamson the unlucky emergency.
Foot made headlines earlier in the year for his confrontation with Port Adelaide star Zak Butters.
Butters was sent to the tribunal and fined $1500 after a tense exchange with Foot, who alleged the midfielder asked him: “How much are they paying you?“.
The player firmly denied the accusation, but Foot also refused to back away from what he believes he heard.
Foot opted to end his employment with Sportsbet, where he worked as a podcast host and racing analyst, in the aftermath.
Saturday will be his second grand final after 2024. Hosking meanwhile will also officiate his second grand final and his first since 2022.
These selection calls mean Jacob Mollison, the 2025 All-Australian umpire, who led the group off after the Hawthorn-Brisbane game and shielded Williamson and Meyer from incoming debris, has not been named.
Umpire Jacob Mollison calls out the offender who threw a bottle at umpires leaving the field. Fox Footy
Mollison could be seen pointing out offending fans throwing bottles and cans at them to security.
From the eight umpires who looked after the prelims, Simon Meredith and Craig Fleer have also missed out, alongside Mollison and Williamson.
Popular goal umpire and former Port Adelaide star David Rodan has also been overlooked.
The AFL will officially confirm all umpire assignments later in the week.
