Jack Elder

Who was Jack Elder?

Jack Elder was an Australian rules football umpire who in 1996 was named as the VFL/AFL's Umpire of the Century.

He officiated as field umpire in 295 VFL matches, including a record 39 Finals and 10 Grand Finals, between 1906-1922. He also held the position of Umpire's Advisor in 1923.

n a famous incident in the 1910 VFL Grand Final, a massive brawl broke out between Collingwood and Carlton players during the last quarter. A number of players were felled and four players were reported, yet the fight kept going. Elder settled matters by blowing his whistle and bouncing the ball. Most of the combatants looked on, stunned, as the game recommenced without them, so they had no option but to forget about the fight.

His umpiring philosophy was quoted in the The Sporting Globe more than a decade after his retirement.

Elder considered the pre-Great War era of 1905-14 as the 'Golden Age' of football, yet it was a period where allegations of bribery led to several League investigations, and on-field violence was at its height forcing the League to the number and powers of umpires. In this environment Elder stood out, with the first VFL umpires coach referring to him as 'our leading adjudicator'.