The Umpires
There are three field umpires, who have full control of the game. Major responsibilities of the field umpires are to start play, award marks and free kicks, and generally enforce the rules of the game. In carrying out their responsibilities, the field umpires each control roughly one third of the ground. The umpire in the area where the ball is currently being disputed is the umpire in charge at any one time, however either of the other field umpires may bring attention to infringements of the rules that occur 'behind the play'. Field umpires may signal each other to transfer control.
The two boundary umpires judge when the ball is out of the playing area, and also return the ball to the center of the ground after a goal has been scored. The boundary umpires patrol one side of the ground each. They take positions at diagonally opposite corners of the center square when the ball is bounced in the center square at the start of each quarter or after a goal is scored. At the center bounces, the boundary umpires are responsible for detecting players who enter the center square illegally. If a score looks imminent, such as from a set kick by a player, a boundary umpire will sometimes position himself near the posts to act as an extra pair of eyes to assist the goal umpire.
The two goal umpires signal, and record all scores in a match. Two flags are waved to indicate a goal, and one flag is used to indicate a behind. The flags are waved to indicate the score to the other goal umpire; the opposite goal umpire is expected to echo the signal to verify its receipt. The goal umpire also indicates to the field umpire what the score is by indicating with one finger for a behind and two fingers (one out-stretched on each hand) for a goal. Before the goal umpire can indicate the score, the field umpire signals to him that no infringements have occurred ("all clear") so that a score may be added. The field umpire will also indicate what he or she thinks the score is by cupping one or both hands around the mouth when calling "all clear" - one hand for a point, two hands for a goal, or hands behind the back if unsure and leaving the decision sole to the goal umpire. This is why the goal umpire looks around sometimes before signaling a score. At other times, the "all clear" may be obvious, and the goal umpire will tap his own chest with his hand to take authority for himself.
Field umpires cannot alter a decision once it has been made, except by a further breach of the rules by a player or team official. Goal umpires can correct mistakes prior to restart of play. Goal umpires take precedence over boundary umpires in the vicinity of the goal area. The goal umpire indicates this to the boundary umpire by tapping his chest.
Umpire uniforms were white for many years. These were modified to include a red and blue diagonal stripe and AFL logo on the front and blue numbers on the backs. Goal umpires became quite familiar even to the novice viewer in their white "lab coats" and hats, but those have long since been abandoned.
In 2005, the AFL altered the umpire uniforms so they would stand out against teams in similar colors. Umpires now wear green, orange, or yellow shirts and socks, and black shorts for field and boundary umpires and black slackes for the goal umpires. Goal umpires now also wear baseball caps to match the color of the day.
