Former GFUL and VFL great, Geoff Morrow, has passed away on 27th September 2007, aged 56, after a long battle with cancer.  Geoff was  a highly respected and regarded Field Umpire with the GFUL and VFL and was the GFUL's nomination for the inaugural Geelong "Legends Plaza".

Geoffrey Thomas Daniel Morrow was born in Geelong on 30 January 1952.   Being sporty from an early age he played football and cricket for Geelong College.   He first began umpiring ‘House matches’ at school then joined the Geelong Football Umpires League in 1971.

Moving to Melbourne he joined the VFL Reserve Grade for two seasons then senior list in 1975. It was in these early VFL days that he was given the nickname ‘Harry‘ after the character from ‘The Sullivans’.
Following three seasons in the country he umpired the first of 113 VFL Reserve Grade matches. 

The two umpire system was relatively new and Geoff’s first Grand Final was one umpire at Bordertown in 1981.
In Round 1 1982 Essendon crushed Footscray at Windy Hill and ‘Harry‘ earned Heritage Number 289. Twelve VFL matches that season, plus the Goulburn Valley Grand Final, was an outstanding first year. As were 1984 and 1985 when he umpired 39 out of a possible 44 VFL rounds and the 1984 Reserve Grade Grand Final.

Moving to the VFA in 1987 he was immediately successful, umpiring that year’s Grand Final. Geoff rejoined the VFL Umpires Association in 1989 until 1993 adding 69 VFA matches including the 1991 Grand Final.
By dint of his VFLUA Life Membership, which he received in 1985, Geoff was also a Foundation Life Member of the Victorian State Football League Umpires Association when it was formed in 1992.

Retiring after 1993 Harry was an Observer for the VSFL from 1994-96 where his experience at VFL level assisted a number of umpires who would later go on to senior VFL matches.In the summer months he was a very successful cricket umpire officiating in many first-class matches.