Retiring AFL umpire Shaun Ryan looks back

Born: Warrnambool, August 9, 1975.

Wife: Stacey.

Children: Maisie, Ned and Rosie.

Parents: Pat and Colleen.

Siblings: Marcelle, Kate, Simon, Patrick, Adam and Paul.

Education: Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School Warrnambool before attending Emmanuel College Warrnambool.

Sporting Highlight: Would have to say coming back to umpire the 2017 grand final between Richmond and Adelaide after a three-year break from umpiring.

Your career as an AFL umpire has come to a close after 350 games, eight grand finals and 11 preliminary finals. The last game you umpired was between Geelong and Brisbane in the preliminary final on October 17. You've watched, up close and personal, the performances of Dustin Martin. How would you describe him as a player, in a few words?

He's got to be one of the best players that I've umpired in my career.

He's got the footy smarts. He just knows where the ball is going. He loves his footy.

Dusty has natural ability and I've heard he puts in a lot of work on the training track.

Dusty is like a Tiger Woods. They're just at the top of the tree in their chosen sport.

He works hard to improve his skills.

He enjoys his footy and never caused a problem when I umpired him.

Dusty has the ability to get on with the game when a decision may be paid against him.

I was fortunate to have umpired him in the 2017, and 2019 grand finals and he was sensational in both those games when it counted.

He won the Norm Smith medal in the 2017 and 2019 premiership wins - I think that says it all.

Geelong's Gary Ablett junior hung up his boots after the Cats lost the grand final on Saturday night. What can you say about Ablett?

He was a fantastic footballer and a lovely bloke.

Gary was like Dusty, he caused no problems.

He used to just get on with the game.

Gary was so skilful. Gary and Dusty both have the ability to find their teammates with either hand or foot in very tight situations, and not all players have that ability.

Who would be the best players you umpired in your 350-game career?

Tough question. There's been lots of great players that I've umpired over my career.

I've already spoken about Gary Ablett junior and Dusty Martin.

They would have to be in the top few.

I used to think James Hird was a sensational footballer, and there's none better then Buddy Franklin when he's on song.

They all had the ability to do the amazing things on the footy field.

I've been very fortunate to have been there and witnessed lots of different players doing skilful things with the footy, and in the end you sort of expect it.

Can you remember your first game as an AFL umpire?

Yes, I had been asked to try out in 2002.

I was selected on the bench for a game between North Melbourne and St Kilda. Fellow umpire Bryan Sheehan hurt his hamstring and came off the ground and I replaced him.

How long were you on the Gold Coast during the footy season?

I went to Sydney in the first week of July for three weeks, and then went to the Gold Coast for the next few months until Monday.

We're going to Byron Bay for a week's holiday before we head back home to Torquay.

Shaun, in a normal season how many times would you train?

On a average central umpires run 15km a game, which is very similar to what on-ball footballers run.

We would train twice a week as a group, and on the other days you would do recovery or pool session.

I think one of the tricks to being a good umpire is you must be fit and have the composure to follow through with the rules in a quick fashion.

And you must be able to bounce the ball.

There's a real art to bouncing the ball.

The game is so quick; you've got to process the rules in your brain in a second or two and make quick decisions.

Doing that in front of 70,000 to 100,000 fans can sometimes be tough.

Let's go back to where your footy umpiring career began with the Warrnambool and District Football Umpires Association. How did your journey begin that led you to 350 games and eight grand finals?

I had played junior footy with South Warrnambool.

I was doing a couple of triathlons to keep fit and, out of the blue, my dad Pat had been talking to Brian Mathers.

He suggested there was pocket money to be earnt for umpiring, so I went and started umpiring with my brothers Patrick and Adam.

I suppose the first blokes that helped me out in the local umpiring ranks were Locky Eccles and the late Des Munday.

I was a boundary umpire before switching to be a central umpire.

Norm Gibson and Arno Pennings were also up there, and David Gladman was a very good umpire back in that era.

The Warrnambool and District Football Umpires Association has an excellent record of producing good umpires.

At one stage, there was Jason Armstrong, David Harris and myself who were in the top 32 umpires in the AFL.

We had all come through the ranks at the Warrnambool and District Football Umpires Association.

The Warrnambool and District Football Umpires Association offer a great pathway for local umpires if they wish to go further with their umpiring careers.

What's the future hold for Shaun Ryan?

My normal job is as a barrister, so I'll be able to focus on that role and I will be spending more time with my family.

I aim not to run as much, but I fully understand that I've got to stay active.

I've had a few aches and pains from getting old, so I suppose I'll be attending a few more yoga classes that my wife Stacey runs.