A WATERSHED season of women's football has been a chance for many of those involved in the AFL Women's league to emerge with reputations enhanced.
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Among them is Bendigo teenager John Varker.
The 17-year-old student has been named as one of the goal umpires for Saturday's inaugural AFLW grand final between the Brisbane Lions and Adelaide Crows.
Kick-off at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast is at 1pm, with Varker to be front and centre behind the goal line.
His grand final selection caps a memorable season in the women's league for the teenager.
He officiated in four games during the abbreviated six-game season, starting with the Western Bulldogs and Fremantle in round one.
Varker, who has umpired in central Victorian league grand finals before, said the crowd and atmosphere at the Whitten Oval was unlike any match he had been involved in before.
"The first game when there was 10,000 people there was unreal," he said.
"The crowds all the way through the season have been awesome."
Not that he listens out for it, the relaxed and even-tempered goal umpire said he had managed to evade any heckling from the crowd.
"There was a couple (of sledges) to the fieldies, but I didn't cop any during the season," Varker joked.
Subsequent appointments in Bulldogs games against Adelaide and Carlton, and last Sunday's Collingwood v Crows match at Olympic Park were enough to convince league umpiring officials Varker was grand final worthy.
"I was absolutely surprised when I got the call, I wasn't expecting it at all," he said.
"It's going to be real exciting.
"I'm looking forward to getting up to Queensland Friday and umpiring Saturday."
Varker, who started umpiring as a 12-year-old with the Bendigo Umpires Association, is an unabashed fan of the AFLW and not just because he will be standing in the grand final.
"I get a different view of the game from where I stand, but it's good quality football," he said.
"And people have really taken to it."
Varker will be one of six Victorian umpires officiating the grand final, with his opposite goal umpire hailing from Tasmania.
After standing in a number of VFL Development league games, he hopes to get a few VFL senior games this season with a view to one day umpiring in the AFL.
"You can only hope," he said.
Varker will this season juggle his umpiring commitments with his Year 12 studies at Bendigo Senior Secondary College.
