Doig Completes Major Milestone

Highly respected AFL boundary umpire Nathan Doig has reflected on officiating in his 500^th game during last weekend’s match between the Fremantle Dockers and Carlton at Optus Stadium.

Doig’s combined total of 78 WAFL matches with 422 AFL games put him in elite company as a boundary umpire at the top level.

“I guess it is quite a large milestone,” Doig said.

“I actually haven’t thought too much about it but looking back on it I think it probably means as much if not more to all your family and friends who have at times had to sacrifice time for me or had to attend events without me because there is a game.

“I get the easy job in some ways as I get to go out and umpire.”

Doig is adamant milestones have never been a priority during his career.

“I am just trying to continue to improve,” he said.

“I don’t or haven’t set out to reach a number of games.

“I still enjoy the challenge that each week can throw at you and I’m just trying to improve and help AFL and WAFL umpires improve.

“I have been lucky enough to umpire five AFL Grand Finals and be involved in three WAFL Grand Finals.”

Last year, Doig became just the fifth AFL boundary umpire to reach 400 games, an achievement he never contemplated when he joined the WAFL in 2002.

“I didn’t set out to be an umpire, and I didn’t really know much about umpiring before I went down to the WAFL, but the whole group really embraced any new attendees,” Doig said.

“A training partner brought me down (I was a 1500m runner, at least I thought I was going to be then).

“I would have been 17 and then I was elevated to the AFL panel for the 2005 season.”

The 41-year-old is proud of the umpiring team he works with in Perth.

“We have a great group here in WA on the AFL Boundary list who bring a lot of excitement to training and game day, he said.

“We spend a lot of time training and socialising outside of footy.

“But even the wider WAFL and AFL group has been a fantastic group to be a part of.”

With more than two decades of experience, Doig has detailed the way his role has changed running the boundary over the years.

“The biggest change would be having four boundary umpires on the field, when I started it was you all out there alone covering a whole side,” he explained.

“As the game has sped up, we now have two boundary umpires on each side and you get to work as a team more than an individual on match day, so you are not only in good positions but helping your partner on the day make good positions and decisions.

“I would say for anyone on the fence about giving any level of umpiring a crack to give it a go.”

Nathan Doig’s Career

AFLUA Heritage Number: 516
AFL Matches at the end of 2025: 415
1st AFL Match: Round 5, 2005, West Coast Eagles v Western Bulldogs
350th AFL Match: Round 2, 2023, West Coast v GWS (Perth Stadium)
400th AFL Match: Round 10, 2025, West Coast v St Kilda (Perth Stadium)
AFLW Matches at the end of 2022: 4
Commenced umpiring career with: WAFL – 2002

Honours in umpiring:
AFL Grand Final umpire – 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018
Murray Williams Shield – 2018
All Australian Umpire – 2013 and 2018
Bill Sutton Medallion – 2005
WAFL Grand Final – 2003 and 2004
WAFL Umpire of the Year – 2004