Former Eden Aussie rules umpire Shannon Kirkby is praising progress in the AFL with Eleni Glouftsis to become the first woman to field umpire an AFL match this Sunday.
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“It’s a defining moment [to umpire in the AFL], we now realise how it actually can be done,” Kirkby said.
“It solidifies what we've all been working towards, it’s not a male dominated sport anymore and if we do want to go that far, it’s at the tip of our fingers.”
All eyes will be on Glouftsis when she takes to the field on Sunday and it’s a promising sign for Kirkby, who has helped pave the way for women in the sport.
In 2013, Kirkby joined the AFL Victoria Umpire Academy and has since become an award-winning umpire in the Victorian Amateurs Football Association (VAFA).
She said some of the highlights included umpiring at iconic AFL grounds like the MCG and Etihad Stadium over the last couple of years.
“It’s been a whirlwind ride, it's been a real feeling of being at home one minute to umpirting on the MCG the next - it's crazy,” she said with a laugh.
She boundary umpired the MCG for the first ever women’s exhibition game and even spent her 21st birthday field umpiring at Australia’s biggest AFL ground.
In October last year she was also honoured with the Joanne Cox perpetual trophy for commitment and dedication in umpiring and support of the sport.
Now 22, Kirkby is continuing her work as an apprentice electrician as well as keeping up practice on the field.
It’s not always an easy fit, but Kirkby said after a shaky start to her Melbourne move, she has now found a balance.
“You get your routine happening and you've got work and then you've got your training - now that I have been here a couple of years it feels easier to manage,” she said.
There is no denying her love of the game.
You could say Aussie rules runs in her blood as she grew up around the Eden ground with her father Paul and brother Kane, who were both heavily involved in the Eden Whalers.
She played juniors for a couple of years, but wasn’t the best on the park.
“I was a bit too unco to play,” she says with a laugh, but she quickly took to umpiring and hopes to break into the Victorian Football League (VFL) soon.
“I've been doing a lot of pre-season training and this year I want to be dominant in A and B grade [in the VAFA],” she said.
“And then next year I might trial for the VFL.”
Kirkby said she would have excellent opportunities over the coming years with some women already pushing through the VFL ranks.
