In a first for community football in the country, on Saturday arguably the two highest profile umpires in the AFL – ‘Razor’ Ray Chamberlain, and AFL umpiring games record-holder Hayden Kennedy – will join Kalayzich as AFL Sydney field umpires, Chamberlain backing up after officiating the Swans and Richmond game the night before.
Adding further intrigue to the milestone is the fact the match shapes as one of the best of the season thus far; a top-of-the-table clash between East Coast Eagles and Manly, at Weldon Oval in Manly at 2:30pm.
Kalayzich, born and bred in Manly, will become the first umpire to 500 games in NSW/ACT (the next closest is about 80 games behind) and one of the few field umpires in Australia to achieve the feat.
Though he'll reach the landmark of 500 first grade games this weekend, the humble PE teacher might have actually officiated in closer to 700 games in total, when his 50 VFL (AFL) reserves games, a couple of years in rural Queensland, and five years of junior umpiring (averaging two matches a weekend) are taken into account.
Although it's difficult to find exact figures, anecdotally many believe Kalayzich may have umpired more total games than any other current whistleblower in the country.
The man affectionately dubbed 'Frankie K' has been firm friends with Chamberlain for more than 15 years, bonding during 'Razor's' time plying his trade in Sydney in the late '90s.
The pair will appear live on Fox Footy's 'AFL 360' on Wednesday night from 7:30pm, chatting with Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson about their friendship, umpiring, and why it was so important for Kennedy and Chamberlain to return to community football to run out alongside their mate.
"I will be absolutely pinching myself on Saturday, to have the opportunity to umpire alongside Ray and Hayden in a community game is something no other umpire has been afforded, Kalayzich said.
"I won't want the game to end, and I am really grateful to Hayden for coming out of retirement and Ray for backing up after what I'm sure will be a tough match at the SCG less than 24 hours beforehand."
Interestingly, Kennedy and Kalayzich umpired a VFL (AFL) reserves game together in 1987 at the SCG, the year before Hayden was added to the AFL umpires list.
The Swans played Richmond that night, and in an odd twist of fate the exact same fixture will play out on Friday night in Sydney, with Chamberlain in charge on the field, Kennedy taking notes in his role as AFL Umpires coach, and Kalayzich the keenest of spectators.
Kalayzich began umpiring in 1978 in the North Shore Junior Football competition and has umpired every year since, bar 2001.
In 1983 he umpired his first senior match, presiding over his first top level Sydney fixture three years later, and 32 years later he notches game number 500 at that level.
In a career flush with highlights, Kalayzich has umpired 10 first grade Grand Finals (including last year's decider, aged 52), and around 50 second-tier VFL/AFL reserves games, all the while seldom missing a training session.
Despite his stocky frame, 'Frankie K' is an elite runner, beginning his career in the days where only two field umpires where permitted, where he estimates he'd clock 'close to 25 kilometres' over four quarters.
As a 19-year-old he once beat future Sydney Swans 'Team of the Century' inductee Tony Moorwood over a mile at half-time of a 1982 AFL Sydney Grand Final, pocketing $500 for his troubles which felt akin to "being handed a million dollars back in those days."
Keeping fit while enjoying the thrust and parry of high level football have been the main reasons Kalayzich has endured long after most 'fieldies' have hung up their whistles, his longevity also testament to chiropractor Damien Benson, ensuring 'Frankie K' has never missed a home and away game through injury.
Unsurprisingly for a man who has been involved with football for almost the entirety of his 53 years, Kalayzich has plenty of interesting anecdotes he enjoys touching on.
There was the time after a pre-season match when dual Brownlow Medallist Greg 'Diesel' Williams implored him to 'show more mongrel' with the whistle - the earnest advice coming in the combined player/umpire showers!
Or the moment during his two-year stint in Toowoomba in the late 1980s when he was adamant he's play with the local University side for $60 a game, before being persuaded to continue umpiring instead when he found out he could make an extra $10 per match and "not get bashed around."
That decision marked a turning point in his umpiring career, and the move to continue officiating rather than returning to playing is something Chamberlain will be eternally grateful for, so strong was Kalayzich's mentorship long before the kid from Canberra was ever branded 'Razor.'
"Frankie K' has, without doubt, been one of the strongest influences on my career in umpiring, his selflessness, support of others, loyalty and work as an educator/mentor of fellow umpires is incredibly admirable," Chamberlain says.
"From the very first time I met Frank he impressed me enormously with his high standards, an unrelenting desire to improve and learn, humility, passion for the game, and his authentic, transparent manner.
"I am extremely excited and humbled to be able to share in Frank’s magnificent achievement of 500 games. But I am most proud to be able to call 'Frankie K' my mate."
BELOW: Photos of Frank Kalayzich umpiring in Sydney over the last three decades.
Last Modified on 24/06/2015 15:43
