Australian hockey umpires ‘making waves’ in Birmingham

Four of Australia’s most respected hockey officials have been performing with distinction at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Technical Official Joanne Greensill and umpiring trio Aleisha Neumann, Rhiannon Murrie and Steve Rogers have been plying their trade throughout the Commonwealth Games hockey tournament.

Uniquely, Neumann and Murrie officiated the match between Ghana and Canada together.

The match provided the latest chapter to a partnership and connection that started over a decade ago.

Inspired by world renowned Australian hockey umpire Kylie Jeymour (nee Seymour), the pair’s umpiring journeys have crossed paths and often overlapped.

Umpiring at her second Commonwealth Games, Neumann said it was a thrill to oversee a match alongside her good friend Murrie.

“Rhiannon and I met in 2009 at the under 15 nationals in Brisbane,” said Neumann.

“In 2013 we went to our first Australian Hockey League together and met Kylie Seymour who umpired at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Then I did the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018, where Rhiannon and Kylie flew up to surprise me and watch.”

“Now this year it’s Rhiannon’s turn to represent Australia and it’s really exciting to see another Australian female make waves internationally as an umpire.”

Neumann said umpiring with a fellow Australian, and someone she knows well, was a thrill.

“It felt really natural. You feel a connection across the pitch and the teamwork just flows the ways it needs to for the game,” said Neumann.

Reflecting on the match Murrie said, “The game was exciting and I blew the first goal for Ghana at the Commonwealth Games.”

For Murrie, it has been an eye-opening experience and one that has inspired her to keep aspiring to be part of major international tournaments in the years to come.

“It’s amazing. I feel very lucky and privileged to be here and officiate on this amazing stage. I have learnt a lot,” said Murrie.

Murrie umpired the Classification 9-10 match between Kenya and Ghana.

The women’s semi final match between India and New Zealand was an all Aussie affair with Neumann umpiring on field, Murrie appointed as the video umpire and Grensill the Technical Official in charge. Rogers umpired the men’s semi-final between India and South Africa.

Neumann and Rogers were also given the nod to umpire the respective bronze medal matches. Grensill was the designated Technical Official for the women’s match and scoring judge in the men’s.

The end of the Games concludes a long sixe-week stint in Europe for Neumann who also officiated at the Women’s World Cup umpiring the Argentina and Germany semi final and reserving the final between Argentina and the Netherlands. Rogers has used the Commonwealth Games as preparation for the FIH Men’s World Cup in India at the start of next year.