UmpiringWords of Wisdom From WA Umpiring Great
Mark Readings
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17 Feb 2026
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In a West Australian Football League first, a female field, boundary and goal umpire officiated in the same game in the opening round of the competition over the weekend.
The Round One WAFL Colts game between West Perth and Claremont saw Gabby Simmonds in the field, Emma Walsh-Kennedy on the boundary and Chloe Wright in the goals.
WAFL and Talent Umpire Manager Dean Margetts said that Simmonds had been part of the WAFL system since 2015 and and also umpired in the 2018 AFL Women’s competition.
“Gabby performed very well during the AFLW season and was flown to Melbourne as the stand by umpire for the AFLW Grand Final,” he said.
“Emma Walsh-Kennedy will be umpiring her first WAFL game after coming down from the Amateur umpiring group. She has great running ability and loads of potential to become a top umpire. Her Coach Rob Goodin at the Amateur group called me and said he had a young lady with loads of talent. He has been vindicated.”
“Chloe Wright hails from the Swan Districts Junior Umpires and after being talent identified last season in a junior finals game, here we are today. After a super preseason she will be waving the flags in WAFL colours for the first time in Round One,” Margetts said.
Walsh-Kennedy and Wright are among 23 new umpires on the WAFL panel for season 2018.
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