Three GFUL teams, comprising 4 runners in each team, entered the Alcoa Corporate Team Relay Event at the TGM Barwon Banks Fun Run on Sunday 24th February.     The event, over 10 km, required each of the 4 runners in each team to complete a 2.5 km leg of the race.    The three GFUL teams completely dominated the event, finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd with only 10 seconds separating the first and third teams.    Outstanding performances were put in by all runners but particular praise must go to Mark Bushfield, Ross Marriner and Adam Bell, who each ran two legs of their teams relay to ensure the clean sweep result.

GFUL runners to compete in the event were:
First  (36 mins, 5 secs) – Adam Bell, Josh Neville, Nick Steel, Jarrad King
Second (36 mins, 8 secs) – Mark Bushfield, James Marriner, Jake Robertson, Mark Bushfield
Third (36mins,15secs) – Jake O’Brien, Ross Marriner, Ross Marriner, Adam Bell.

GFUL Boundary Umpire Nigel Skurrie is certainly one not to be messed with.   After taking up the Athletics discipline of  Hammer Throwing in the summer months to help with his fitness, he has taken to the sport like a duck to water and has had tremendous success in junior events.   He recently won a Gold Medal in the U/20 Hammer Throw at the Victorian Track and Field Championships held at Olympic Park.    Looks like a very bright future for him as a Hammer Thrower and hopefully just as bright as a Boundary Umpire with the GFUL  in the winter months.

Senior AFL Umpires Hayden Kennedy (Field). Mark Foster (Boundary) and Colin Hood (Goal) will attend the GFUL Pre-Season Camp on Sunday 17th February to conduct a 2 hour coaching session for each discipline.  This is a tremendous coup for the GFUL and those members attending the Camp will undoubtedly derive great benefit from the sessions.

Former VFL umpiring great, Glen James, will be the Guest Speaker at a Dinner on the Saturday Night of the camp.  

GFUL Boundary and Goal Umpires were given a great opportunity last Saturday 9th February, to officiate in the Geelong Football Club’s final intra–club practice match on Skilled Stadium in preparation for their first round NAB Cup game against Melbourne at home on 16th February. 

Boundary Umpires Adam Bell, Nick Steel, Joshua Neville and Jake Robertson, along with Goal Umpires Matthew Robertson and Rob Steel jumped at the chance to get an early practice match under their belts, particularly in such a high quality game as a Cats intra-club game on Skilled, sharing the umpiring with VFL Field Umpires.  They all looked very impressive on National Nine News on Saturday night.

The local practice match season will kick in a few weeks and give many more GFUL umpires a chance to hone their skills and boost their fitness levels before the start of the official season on 5th April.