The AFL has backed in field umpires Hayden Meyer and Nick Foot as half of the quartet who will adjudicate Saturday's Grand Final between Fremantle and Brisbane at the MCG.
Meyer and Foot will be joined by Brett Rosebury and Brendon Hosking as the decider umpires, with Nathan Williamson as the emergency, according to multiple reports.
Meyer made multiple bold - but correct - decisions in last week's thrilling preliminary final between Hawthorn and Brisbane, including awarding the Lions a free kick that determined the outcome of the game.
The decision, which has been ticked off by all pundits, including Hawks coach Sam Mitchell, resulted in a post-game furore from everyone in brown and gold, including defensive duo James Sicily and Tom Barrass.
The Hawks pair were slapped with monster fines ($10,000 - Sicily; $5,000 Barrass) for their altercations with Meyer following the final siren.
Hawthorn fans also took it one step further, as some supporters threw bottles and cans on the field and towards Meyer and the umpiring group.
It will be Meyer's third AFL Grand Final.
Foot's inclusion comes in a year when he was embroiled in the Zak Butters scandal in Gather Round.
Butters was alleged to have questioned Foot's integrity following a decision against the Port Adelaide midfielder, and was fined. The penalty was eventually thrown out at the AFL Appeals Board.
However, Foot's role at betting company Sportsbet - in horse racing - raised plenty of eyebrows at the time, especially given Butters' remarks.
The AFL has backed Meyer and Foot to be part of the umpiring group for the last Saturday in September.
Rosesbury will adjudicate his 10th grand final, which also included the 2010 replay. It's his first since 2021 (Melbourne's win over the Western Bulldogs).
The Lions-Dockers decider will be Hosking's second grand final. His first since Geelong's win over Sydney in 2022.
More to come.
