IT will be a special moment for Horsham whistle-blower Frank Marklew when he steps onto the field at Kalkee Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
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The Kalkee versus Swifts Horsham District Football League match will be Marklew's 600th, and to make it even more memorable, son Leigh Marklew will be by his side.
"It's certainly going to be a special game for myself and Leigh," he said.
Marklew's playing career ended after he was part of Taylors Lake's 1988 HDFL reserves premiership.
He was convinced by Maurie Rudolph to give umpiring a crack and has been officiating ever since.
"I did a couple of games in the juniors and then they threw me into the seniors," Marklew said.
"I ended up winning the Golden Whistle award after 12 months which was a massive honour."
Marklew also earned the right to officiate in six Wimmera Football League grand finals in a row, all of which were won by Horsham Demons.
He said it would be a nice way to end an emotional fortnight for his family, with his father Ralph Marklew dying on April 11.
