Today, he steps out onto Etihad with his year having played out near perfect.

Tristan’s first stint at the VFL began in 2005, when as a 20-year old he became another umpire under the tutelage of Kevin Mitchell, whom he credits with “getting the best out of us.” But Tristan was more than just another umpire when he was selected for the TAC Cup Grand Final consecutively between 2007 and 2009 – grand finals don’t come along every day, after all. Two years later though, with no more grand finals under his belt, Tristan could have been forgiven for thinking things weren’t going to go his way. Not so, he says. “I was still doing some senior finals, a couple of semi-finals. But at that stage you had some bloody good field umpires running around. You had half the current squad of the AFL running around at the time, so it was very difficult to be in the top 3.”

He is fully aware that he made some errors in finals which cost him higher placings at the end of the season, but in his professional way he worked out where he went wrong and made sure to fix it for next time. He also realises there are many umpires who don’t get the opportunity to umpire a grand final at all, and is grateful for the opportunities that Kevin gave him.

Tristan was finally selected to umpire in the 2012 VFL Grand Final, the stepping stone to selection to the AFL umpiring panel in 2013. His time there ultimately was a highlight. “The experience and culture at that elite level is second to none, and to be in the top 32 in Australia in your chosen field is an absolute honour and privilege.”

He umpired 30 matches in those 3 years, with 3 of those beginning as emergency on the bench, including his debut match between Richmond and West Coast when he was a rookie. Even bigger than that, though, was when he came on at half time at the MCG one Sunday afternoon. “Collingwood and Carlton… I came on at half time, with 85,000 people at the ground. To be part of that atmosphere, to be part of a close game, that’s the greatest thrill that I’ve experienced in umpiring.” But for Tristan each match he umpired at AFL level was memorable.

While initially heartbroken at being delisted, he maintained his professionalism and decided “to worry about what I can do as a person, and prove them wrong – that I should be on the list.” He cites being encouraged by the story of Troy Pannell, who, having been delisted by the AFL, came back and dominated the VFL in one season and was promoted back to the top level.

“I was umpiring with Troy at the time, and his dedication and commitment at that time was absolutely outstanding… And that sort of drove me. You can hear stories (handed down the chain), but to actually be part of it at the time, that gave me inspiration to succeed at the VFL.”

Tristan’s return to the VFL required some adjusting. On one level, he was coming out of an environment where so much feedback was on offer, so much scrutiny and pressure existed, so much vision was available. It was high intensity, whereas at the VFL a lot of these things don’t exist, or are available in smaller doses. “It forces you to evaluate yourself and where you need to work. You need to work this out yourself.” This wasn’t too difficult for Tristan however, as any good umpire is their “own harshest critic.”

Having to internally evaluate his performances helped him learn more about himself and his umpiring. “You’re always trying to improve on anything. There’s no such as a perfect game, there never will be a perfect game, but you’re always striving for it.”

There had also been a significant change in the umpiring ranks at state level in the two years he was at the AFL as well. His coach at the VFL, Kevin Mitchell, had retired – now Tristan found himself under the guidance of a new leader in Cameron Nash, and the experienced group he left in 2012 was now a very young group. “Nashy’s a very laid back customer. Coming from a high pressure environment down to the VFL, which obviously has its own pressures, but now it’s very easy going. It’s very, very different. But it’s still the same philosophy.”

Tristan does reserve special praise for Kevin, however, who was a real leader. “Without him a lot of us wouldn’t be in the situation where we are. He pushed us to where we needed to be. I’m sure a lot of blokes thank Kev for every opportunity he gave them, because without that will and drive from him we wouldn’t be in the position we are at the moment. We followed him.”

Earlier this month, Tristan’s goal of returning to the AFL was a step closer when he was invited to trial at the AFL Umpiring Combine. It was something he had his eye on, and now that the opportunity has come, he knows he has to grab it.

Today, he has the opportunity to umpire another Grand Final.

“It’s a privilege. It’s an absolute honour to do a grand final at any level. The excitement comes from knowing you’ve done the best that you can for the year.” He mentions the words commitment, desire and sacrifice – a path tread by many an umpire before him.

Tristan speaks about his umpiring in a way that makes his passion and dedication for it very obvious. These traits have not been limited to the training track or the footy field however. In 2013, his first year as an AFL umpire, he was awarded life membership of the VFUA for his achievements both on and off the field. He has represented the VFUA and his peers in a variety of roles, from track rep to social committee, as well as vice-president. “Again, it’s a great honour. A fantastic achievement, I very much take pride in it. It’s like grand finals, it’s not something that comes along often,” he said.

It’s clear Tristan is grateful for the opportunities, achievements and accolades that have come his way. From the bush of Bendigo to the big dance in the big smoke, Tristan is a worthy man to be umpiring on the last Saturday in September, and we wish him all the best in his quest for another promotion to the AFL.

VFL Grand Final
Box Hill Hawks v Williamstown
Sunday September 27, 3:00pm
Etihad Stadium