Skip to content
VAFA

VAFA

  • Football
    • Fixtures
    • Live Scores
    • Results
    • Ladders
    • Player Transfers
    • Tribunal
    • Rising Star Nominations
    • Practice Match Requests
  • Media
    • News
    • Video & Live Streams
    • Match Replays
    • Live Coverage
    • Podcasts
    • Amateur Footballer
    • Record Archive
    • VAFA App
    • Photos
  • Clubs
    • Club Info
    • Club Support
    • VAFA Portal
    • VAFA Calendar
    • Rules & Policies
    • PlayHQ Login
    • Player Registrations
    • Coach Accreditation
    • Insurance
    • Merchandise
  • Partners
  • ABOUT
    • About the VAFA
    • Board
    • Staff
    • Contact Us
    • Events
    • Annual Reports
    • Strategic Plan
    • Integrity Tip-offs
    • Jobs Board
  • History
    • History of the VAFA
    • Club History
    • Life Members
    • Office Bearers & Patrons
    • Executive Members
    • Awards
    • Finals Series
  • Big V
    • Big V Club
    • Rep Football History
  • VAFA Portal
Section
Mens
Womens
Choose Section
Premier
Premier B
Premier C
Div 1
Div 2
Div 3
Under 19s
Umpires
Premier
Premier B
Div 1
Div 2
Div 3
Div 4
Div 5
Under 19s
Umpires
Latest News

Football umpire Steve McCarthy has seen it all in a long and fulfilling career in the VAFA

By Nick Armistead · June 22, 2018
Football umpire Steve McCarthy has seen it all in a long and fulfilling career in the VAFA

Originally published by the Mordiallic Chelsea Leader on June 18 and written by Simon McEvoy

STEVE McCarthy will umpire his 700th VAFA game on Saturday.

In more than 40 years as an umpire, the 59-year-old has enough stories to fill a book.

He’s seen it all, and had a ball.

McCarthy will reach the milestone when he officiates in the Division 1 contest between Ormond and Preston Bullants at Gunn Reserve.

Quirky moments? Yep, there have been many.

Like the time, in a final, several players raced up to him and pleaded for him to stop the game and conduct a team count, believing the opposition side had too many on the ground.

But Macca told them their captain needed to make the request. By the time the skipper did, the extra player was bolting towards the boundary line, with several rivals hot in pursuit.

“About three blokes chased him and grabbed him to keep him on the ground…one bloke ended up sitting on him to keep him within the boundary line.

It was comical to watch but in the end he crawled to the boundary and got across the line.”

McCarthy recalls another game, when a fierce hailstorm struck, but play went on.

“It was hailing, horrendous,” he said.

“I made the player stand on the mark…he said, ‘Macca, I’ve had enough, can we just go home now?’ He basically wanted me to call the game off and we all felt like it too because we were being pelted by hail.”

Steve McCarthy: “You’ve got to be able to have a bit of a laugh.’’

McCarthy started umpiring at 18 and all these years on still is passionate about the caper.

He estimates he’s umpired a few hundred games elsewhere but the VAFA has been his home.

“I’m pretty proud about it,” McCarthy said of the 700 mark.

“Others have got to 800 or 900, but they are guys who were field umpires then goal umpires.

“I might be the first to reach 700 as a fieldy.”

McCarthy says the key to being a good umpy is communication and also “not taking it all too seriously”.

“You’ve still got to be able to have a bit of a laugh and a joke with the players,” he said.

Macca is not ashamed to admit he’s made his share of mistakes

“If you make a mistake and you are willing to say, ‘I’m sorry, I stuffed up there and I was wrong’ they appreciate that and respect you for it.

“I did it last week…and the player said, ‘wow, I’ve never heard an umpire say that before’

“You’ve just got to continue talking…yes, it’s pretty serious for the 36 blokes playing but you’ve got to find a balance.

“If you don’t have a personality you won’t survive and people are going to give you a hard time…because at the end of the day you are always half right and half wrong, and you’ve just got to deal with that.

“All these years, the people you meet are amazing. You meet people from all walks of life. There are friends I’ve made in the VAFA who I don’t know what they do during the week – it doesn’t matter – you all get together on a Saturday and you are all equal and have the same interests.

“Sometimes I think I can’t believe I’m still going…”

McCarthy will umpire alongside his great mate Mark Gibson on Saturday.

More News

More
image
Broadcast

VAFA Media Live Coverage – April 25

ANZAC Day football has become a cherished Australian tradition, and we’ve got LIVE VAFA MEDIA COVERAGE of 3 Premier Men’s matches and an Under 19 Premier clash for you to

Read More
image
Latest News

THE PULSE — April 24, 2026

The Spirit of the ANZACs endures Each year on ANZAC Day, Australian communities pause to honour our service men and women for their service, sacrifice, and the enduring values they

Read More
image
William Buck Premier Men's

William Buck Premier Men’s – Round 2 Preview

Round 2 of William Buck Premier Men’s – ANZAC Day football – is headlined by a blockbuster between two great modern rivals, and another between two of the sport’s greatest

Read More
Connect with the VAFA
  • social image
  • social image
  • social image
  • social image
  • social image
image

FIND YOUR LOCAL CLUB

SEARCH NOW
image

VAFA PODCASTS

LISTEN NOW
image

BECOME A VAFA UMPIRE

JOIN NOW
Latest News
All News
image
Latest News

VAFA Media Live Coverage – April 25

image
Latest News

THE PULSE — April 24, 2026

image
Latest News

William Buck Premier Men’s – Round 2 Preview

Premium Partner
partner logo
Major Partner
partner logo
Official Partners
partner logo
partner logo
partner logo
View All Partners
footer logo
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
MENU
  • HOME
  • MEDIA
  • LATEST NEWS
  • VAFA HQ
  • PARTNERS
  • HISTORY
  • BIG V
QUICK LINKS
  • FOOTBALL
  • FIXTURES & RESULTS
  • VAFA CLUBS
  • CLUB ADMIN
  • MERCHANDISE STORE
  • VAFA PORTAL
  • CONTACT US
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

The VAFA acknowledge the traditional owners of country, on which we play our great game, and pay our respects to them, their culture and Elders past and present.

footer logo

© 2026 VAFA

  • PRIVACY POLICY