WARRNAMBOOL export Shaun Ryan isn't expecting nerves to rule his eighth AFL grand final appearance.
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Instead, the umpiring veteran is ready to embrace his emotions leading into one of the most significant games of his career.
Ryan was on Tuesday unveiled as one of three field umpires in Saturday's AFL decider between Richmond and GWS Giants.
The 44-year-old, who cut his teeth in the Hampden league, said nerves weren't yet a factor.
You need to understand that in this game there are so many views on those things, and some people have views that align with yours and some don't.
- Shaun Ryan
"It's subjective, everyone is probably different, but from my experience it's pretty similar," he said.
"We've all done Anzac Day games, preliminary final games, Friday night where there's 100,000 people, so the degrees of pressure, they're all very high-pressure games."
Ryan returned to football's grandest stage in 2017 after a six-year absence.
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He retired after officiating the 2011 decider, but was headhunted by AFL umpires coach Hayden Kennedy and convinced to return.
Ryan, who has officiated 37 finals, will umpire alongside Matt Stevic and "Razor" Ray Chamberlain.
The former Emmanuel College student made headlines two weeks ago when he warned Giant Adam Kennedy for repeated contact to Brisbane's Charlie Cameron, who was nursing an injured arm.
The decision divided the football community - with debate raging over the validity of the "spirit of the game" rule in which Ryan enforced.
Ryan said he was simply following the rules.
"You need to understand that in this game there are so many views on those things, and some people have views that align with yours and some don't," Ryan said.
"But I've learned over the years, for me, I don't really have views on the rules and I don't have views on things, because that's not my job."
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