Victorian officials star on the world stage

Hockey Victoria is celebrating a remarkable achievement with many officials earning prestigious international appointments and promotions this year, hallmarking the biggest representation of active home-grown Victorians on FIH panels in the history of our sport. This recognition highlights the standards and dedication of Victorian officials in the global Hockey community.

We congratulate the following officials, who were elevated to an international panel in 2024:

• James Stewart – Technical Official International Panel – having acted as a technical official since 2015, James has been highly engaged at the national and international level, whilst having accepted a national appointment in every year since (excluding COVID years). His notable appointments include Hockey One (2019-2024), 2023 Assistant Tournament Director National U21s, 2024 Tournament Director National Under 16s, and now his recognition on the international panel reflects his outstanding contribution to Australian hockey.

• Iris Milham – Umpire International Panel (Hockey 5s) – Earlier this year, Iris was promoted to the International Panel in Hockey5's for her outstanding reports at Oceania International Tournaments in the past two years. Being one of the youngest umpires on a FIH panel, Iris is poised for further international success, whilst still remaining heavily involved in contributing to the state’s officiating space. Her notable appointments include Hockey One (2022 & 2023), 2023 Hockey 5s Oceania Cup, 2023 Test Series AUS v JPN.

Additionally, two officials announced their retirement from the international space in 2024. We are so proud of their achievements throughout their international careers whilst their represented Victorian hockey.

• Rhiannon Murrie – After almost 10 years, Rhiannon announced her retirement from international umpiring after officiating at the Perth International Festival of Hockey. Rhiannon represented Victoria at a number of international events, including the 2015 Oceania Cup, 2018 Youth Olympics, 2022 Commonwealth Games and several test series.

• Angela Holloway – Angela officiated at many major events, including the first Youth Olympics games in 2010, 2019 Oceania Intercontinental Hockey 5s tournament, 2019 Oceania Cup, and the 2022 Oceania Junior World Cup Qualifiers.

Please see below for a list of our current internationally recognised officials:

Technical Officials:

• Joshua Burt – Leading Panel
• Technical Delegate at the 2024 Paris Olympics
• Scott O’Reilly – International Panel
• James Stewart – International Panel

Umpires:

• James Unkles - Leading Panel
• Asian Champion Trophy
• FIH Pro League
• Timothy Sheahan – High Potential List
• Perth International Series
• Hockey 5s World Cup
• Nicola Brown – International Panel
• Singapore International Hockey 6’s
• Ben Hocking – International Panel
• Iris Milham – International Panel (Hockey 5s)
• Oceania Cup
• Singapore Hockey Federation Invitational
• Rhiannon Murrie – Retired from the International Panel in 2024
• Perth International Festival of Hockey
• Angela Holloway - Retired from the International Panel in 2024
• Nathan McDonald  
• Singapore Hockey Federation Invitational
• Ollie Chauhan
• Singapore Hockey Federation Invitational
• Stephanie Thompson
• Singapore Hockey Federation Invitational

This impressive representation of Victorian officials on the international stage is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and passion for the sport. Their achievements not only bring pride to Hockey Victoria but also inspire the next generation of officials. Congratulations to all for their success on the international stage in 2024, and we look forward to following along with them again in 2025!