Elsworthy elevated by AFL

Central Coast AFL umpire Nathan Elsworthy has been elevated to the AFL Field Umpires Rookie list in 2012, making him the first ‘home grown’ NSW/ACT umpire to be placed on the field umpiring list.

Elsworthy, 24, joins nine other umpires to be called onto the ‘Rookie’ panel for the AFL, including the much talked about Ex-Carlton player Jordan Bannister. While he may not umpire a game in 2012, Nathan will be frequently called upon as an emergency umpire and will also become part of the umpire coaching program.

The news was welcomed by Elsworthy; who says he’s looking forward to the added responsibility of his elevation/.

“I was pretty happy when I found out I’d made the list, it’s a fantastic reward for the hard work you put in,” he said.

“Especially in the last six months during the pre-season and NAB Cup period, I’d been training a lot in preparation for the season.”

Elsworthy balances his umpiring commitments with study – he is currently working towards a PhD in Exercise and Sports Science at the University of Newcastle. His form earlier this year impressed selectors, with solid performances in NAB Cup games between the GIANTS, Collingwood and Western Bulldogs held at Blacktown.

“The NAB Cup night was an awesome experience for me. It was a little nerve racking at first but once it all got started I felt more comfortable and really enjoyed the atmosphere of it all,” Elsworthy said.

NSW State Umpiring Manager Graham Glassford said he was pleased to see one of the state’s own receive a senior call up.

“It’s great to see one of our own go right through the NSW/ACT umpiring system,” he said.

“We identified Nathan in 2007 as being a talented umpire, and tracked his progress through to when he made the decision to commit two years ago. He’s taken his opportunities head on since then.”

While Elsworthy has been officiating games since 2006, he only committed to umpiring full-time in 2010. He has been quick to prove his ability on the field, umpiring the first NEAFL Cross Conference Grand Final last year and being named the Bob Stacey Field Umpire of the Year.

“Nathan is a natural athlete who has a great feel for the game and player empathy, which is important. He is very professional in his approach towards umpiring and football in general” said Glassford.

“We look forward to seeing him make his official AFL game debut.”

Career Highlights

2011 AFL NSW/ACT Bob Stacey Field Umpire of the Year
2011 NEAFL Grand Final
2011 NEAFL Eastern Conference Grand Final
2011 AFL/Australian Sports Commission High Performance Academy
2010 AFL Sydney Division 1 Grand Final
2010 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships
2009 AFL Sydney Under 18 Grand Final
2007 NSW/ACT Umpiring Development Academy