Former Warrnambool umpire Shaun Ryan will hold an AFL record after Saturday’s grand final.
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Ryan will umpire his seventh decider when he officiates the clash between Collingwood and West Coast at the MCG.
"I am now the oldest person to do a grand final,” he said.
“So you've got to be enjoying it to keep going when you are 43.
"It means that, I think, you've been able to maintain the physical side of it.
“Because obviously once you get to 43 you have the experience, but to keep backing up and getting on the park each week is probably the hardest part.”
Ryan, who reached his 300th game milestone during the season, said he was proud of the achievement.
He joined a select group of umpires to rack up seven grand finals, but is still three shy of the record of 10 – held by John Elder.
"You certainly do have a chance during the week to reflect and it has been pretty amazing," he said.
"I grew up in Warrnambool and was umpiring as a 16-year-old kid, and to think now you are 43 and have been able to do seven grand finals, yeah it is pretty amazing to look back on it.
"There is still a strong feeling that we've got an important game to get right. I think once we do that and finish the game I think that is when the relief and pride will kick in.”
The veteran has become no stranger to umpiring the biggest game of the year. So much so that he admitted getting the nod for the seventh time had a different feel to it.
"It probably does a change a bit, it probably shouldn't, but to be honest it does,” he said.
"When you are just striving to get your first or second there is a high-degree of anxiety on that Monday when you are waiting for the phone call.
"But when you have done a few you would still love to do the game, but my thought was I had been on the positive end of that phone call so many times that if it didn't happen to go my way this year then I would be cool with that as well.
"I am lucky enough I did and so I am enjoying another great week and looking forward to get out there and having a great game.”
Ryan said he had learnt to better deal with the build up of the occasion.
"There are a lot of appointments and a lot of commitments this week so the only thing I do is when you get downtime is to have a rest, because it can be an exhausting week,” he said.
"What I’ve learnt is instead of getting worked up about all of the commitments just embrace them and have fun.”
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