Umpire Inductee
VFL/TANFL/SWL, Goal Umpire/Trainer, 1959-2015
> 11 seasons as a field/goal umpire in Victoria 1959-69
> 312 senior TFL/SWL games officiated 1972-91
> Nine senior, eight reserves TFL/SWL Grand Finals officiated
> Umpire trainer for more than 20 years from 1992
> TFLUA Life Membership 1992
> Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame Inductee 2005
> Tasmanian Football Umpires Hall of Fame Inductee 2008
Starting his career as a field umpire with the VFL Reserves Grade Umpires Association in 1959, Graeme Hamley reached U/19 level in the VFL before making the switch to goal umpiring in 1967. After work commitments brought him to Tasmania in late 1969, Hamley played one season with the Dunalley Football Club before joining the TANFL Umpires Association in 1972. He spent 20 highly successful seasons as a goal umpire in the TFL/SWL competitions, officiating in 312 senior games; these included nine senior TFL Grand Finals, including the inaugural TFL Statewide Grand Final between Glenorchy and Sandy Bay in 1986, as well as a further eight reserves Grand Finals. He turned his attention to umpire training in 1992 under the tuition of the late Darrell Coppleman, looking after state umpires and AFL pre-season umpires. He took over the role in its entirety upon Coppleman’s retirement and as of 2015 still holds the position. Hamley’s services to umpiring over more than half a century have been recognised with TFLUA life membership in 1992, as well as induction into the Tasmanian Football and Tasmanian Football Umpires Hall of Fames in 2005 and 2008 respectively. Outside of football, Hamley has also been heavily involved in cricket umpiring and scoring, acting as an official scorer in ten one day internationals and six test matches played in Hobart since 2004.
