Trailblazing AFL umpire Eleni Tee targets 2028 return after second child
Eleni Tee, the league's first female field umpire, is aiming to return in 2028 after the birth of her second child.
Eleni Tee made history by returning to AFL umpiring 13 months after her first son's birth. Tee successfully rebuilt her fitness to cover the 18km demanded by field umpiring in elite matches.
Tee returned to Adelaide's clash with St Kilda in 2025, becoming the first mother to field umpire an AFL game. Eleni Tee's comeback blueprint and the AFL's recent four-umpire system should help her try a second return.
She knows having a toddler and a newborn will bring new challenges. She plans to take time for recovery rather than rush.
- Up to 18 kilometres
- Distance per match
- 2028
- Comeback year
Why it mattersTee's path shows how elite sports can support working mothers, reshaping expectations about women's professional careers.
AustraliaAustralian women in sport see a high-profile example of returning to elite competition after motherhood without sacrificing career or family.
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