Retired AFLW star Emma Mackie finds new role on field as an umpire

Mackie has taken up umpiring this season after returning home to the border from Melbourne last September.

While she's never umpired a football game before this year, Mackie admitted her unexpected role has become a good way to stay involved in the sport post retirement.

"My neighbour is part of the North East Umpires Association," she said.

"He knew of my history, so he was asking me to come down and do some training with the umpires on a Thursday night.

"I thought I'd go down there and have a run with them.

"It's just come about pretty naturally."

The former St Kilda player has already watched over her first junior game between Wodonga Raiders' two sides.

"I did some shadowing and then jumped in and umpired," she said.

"I got to about half-time and felt a bit tired, it's the most running I've done in a while.

"Normally after a football match on a Monday you're really sore, where as I actually felt really good.

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"The physicality of the game is really hard, but for me being an umpire, I still get to stay fit and involved without the knocks.

"It's different seeing the point of view from an umpire's perspective."

While she's enjoying her new football role, Mackie admitted she's not sure how far she'd like to take it at this early stage.

"My brother still plays football and my nephew plays under-16s for Albury, so I said I might end up umpiring one of their games one day," she said.

Mackie has returned to Wodonga for work commitments with Victoria Police, where she is now working alongside the border's young residents as a youth specialist officer.

"It's been really lovely coming back, my family and friends are all here," she said.

The midfielder hung up her boots last year at the end of the COVID-19 interrupted competition after three seasons in the AFLW.

A former Jindera junior, Mackie was selected by the Western Bulldogs at pick 27 of the 2017 AFLW draft before closing out her career with the Saints.

During her playing career, she was a part of the Bulldogs' 2018 premiership squad, while also captaining Hawthorn's VFLW side to a flag in the same year.

Before she began her journey in the AFLW, Mackie had a successful career as a professional cyclist.

She represented Australia at the 2009 World Road Championships in Switzerland.

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