The Warrnambool and District Football Umpires Association member, who started officiating as a junior in 1988, reached his 200th game in the late 1990s, but work with the ambulance service took him to Melbourne soon after.

He returned to Warrnambool with his young family four years ago when wife Margaret was transferred in the police force, and he was able to end the back-and-forth travel to Melbourne when he too received a transfer eight months later.

This weekend Margaret, their sons Michael, 7, and Aaron, 5, as well as Lougheed’s Warrnambool-based parents Ray and Annette will watch on as he takes to the field to officiate the clash between Old Collegians and Nirranda for his 300th game.

“I’m looking forward to this weekend and my family being there to see the game,” Lougheed said.

“It’s been a long time between 200 and 300.”

Between the move to Melbourne – Lougheed still umpired when he could, joining with the amateur association, the Eastern Football League and the Geelong Umpires at various stages – and shift work making umpiring impractical, he had about 15 years away from the WDFUA.

The 41-year-old said his favourite memories included running the boundary in a WDFNL senior grand final in the early 1990s. He also officiated as a central umpire in the under 18.5 HFNL grand final a few years ago.

It will be a big weekend for the umpires, with Robert McLaren making his 450th appearance as a field umpire, Michael Atkinson officiating his 350th game and Pauline Pennings bringing up game 200 in goals.