Mackie is believed to be the first female to umpire a senior Hume League football match after overseeing Holbrook and CDHBU in round eight this season.

But Mackie isn't the only female that's rising through the ranks, with fellow umpire Sioban Luczak also reaching the feat just weeks later.

"I'd love to see more females get involved. If I can do it, they can do it too," Mackie said.

"I didn't know how I would go with the seniors being female and how the crowd would react, but honestly it's all been really positive for me.

"Everyone's been really supportive and have been encouraging me to go higher than what I'm probably expecting of myself at the moment."

With Mackie's brother Joel leading Osborne as a playing coach this season, it could leave the door open to have the siblings on field at the same time.

"Joel messaged me the night after my first game and said 'I hear you had a good game today, when are you coming to umpire my game?" she laughed.

"I think at some point this season if it works out I'll try and do a game.

"It will happen at some point I suspect."

It's been like a homecoming for Mackie after starting out as a junior with the Jindera Football Club.

"The great thing about going out to the Hume League was that it felt like I was going back to where it started," she said.

"It's a really nice feeling to be out in the country league."

After retiring from the AFLW competition back in 2020, Mackie made her umpiring debut last season beginning with the region's junior matches.

That then progressed to Ovens and Murray League reserves games, before landing opportunities with the Hume seniors.

"It's just progressed a bit more from there," she said.

"I honestly don't mind if I'm umpiring the under-16 girls or the senior boys, I just enjoy being out there on the day.

"It's a challenge, but I just enjoy having a run.

"I've loved meeting all of the umpires here in Albury, Wodonga and Wangaratta, it's been a really great team to be a part of."

ALSO IN SPORT:

Before reaching her AFLW path, Mackie had a successful career as a professional cyclist, representing Australia at the 2009 World Road Championships in Switzerland.

Not only is she staying involved in football this year through umpiring, she also joined the Murray Bushrangers in the NAB League girls program as an assistant coach.

She admitted both sports still play a big role in her life.

"I still get drawn to the bike," she said.

"That's a huge part of who I am and it's the same with football.

"Being a part of the Bushrangers this season has been great.

"Football has always been a passion and something that I want to stay involved in, so the coaching side was probably something I was thinking I would get into after football, but not so much umpiring.

"Being able to be a part of that and develop my skills as a coach has been really good."

Mackie is now well on her way to becoming the first female Ovens and Murray League senior football umpire.

The Hume League will enter round 12 of the home and away season this weekend, with Joel Mackie's undefeated Tigers leading the way in the senior competition.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: