History of the NAFLUA & NCCUA

 

The first membership of an Umpires Association in the Newcastle region was recorded in 1948. At this point in time there were a group of four men that umpired any scheduled matches in the Newcastle are. There was no structure to the ‘Association’ as it was not until 1953 when the first President and Secretary were appointed; those honours went to Mr L Packham and Mr A Savage respectively. The first Advisor/Coach was Mr F Hen appointed in 1964. The first recorded umpire as umpiring a Grand Final was Mr A Needs in 1948.

For whatever reason the Association was suspended from umpiring finals in 1964. Umpires again started umpiring finals in 1965.

From 1970 the following training venues have been used: Hawkins Oval, International sports Centre, College of Advanced Education, No 1 Sports Ground, Hexham Oval and now Baxter Field.

Association meetings have been held at Pastor W Robinson’s, District Park Tennis Clubrooms, International Sports Centre, Mines Rescue Centre, Hexham Bowling Club, Swansea RSL and Wickham Park Hotel.

Tribunal hearings took place in the City Clubrooms at Hawkins Oval, the residence of the secretary of the NAFL, Mrs D Craney, International Sports Centre, the Railway institute, the Stag and Hunter Hotel, District Park Tennis Clubrooms, Wickham Park Bowling Club, Hexham Bowling Club, the Swansea RSL, Hamilton RSL and BDAFL Offices.

In 1970 the teams that formed the NAFL were Cardiff, City, Maitland, University, RAAF, Waratah Mayfield and Western Suburbs.

Since that time Maitland have been in and out of the competition and have now folded. University became Wallsend , they amalgamated with Western Suburbs, but have now folded, as have Waratah Mayfield. The RAAF team was expelled from the competition at the beginning of the 1976 season as the RAAF hierarchy would not assist the local league in paying back the debt it incurred by having North Melbourne and Geelong play a pre season game at the International Sports Centre in 1975. This particular game was umpired by personnel from the local Association. The field umpires being Ray Dinneen and Robert Can.

Other teams that came and went were Forster, Coalfields United, East Lakes, Raymond Terrace, Williamtown, (they replaced the RAAF side as a civilian registered side), Muswellbrook and Singleton although Singleton is now back in the Black Diamond AFL competition in Reserve Grade and Under 18’s.

Each year clubs endeavour to secure the right coaching staff; some of the more notable coaches that we have seen in this area have been Bill Barrott (former Richmond and Victorian centre man, Neill Davies (former Gleneig and South Australian centre halfback who also coached the Queensland State side. Warren Foster (former South Adelaide wingman), David Manson (former ruckman who played with Geelong West in the VFA), Bill Thrip (ex Collingwood) and Peter Kidd (ex Essendon).

 

In 2000 when the Central Coast AFL and Newcastle AFL combined to form the Black Diamond AFL the Newcastle Central Coast Umpires Association was created to help provide umpires to the newly form compeition