By Elizabeth Winter
World Class National AA Badge Umpire Tim Marshall, regularly seen on TV screens officiating the Suncorp Super Netball league, has been making an impact off the court – this time, across the Pacific.
Widely respected for his expertise and calm presence on court, Marshall has officiated more than 50 SSN matches and more than 1000 games of netball at all levels.
Now, he’s channelling this experience into the next generation of umpires, supporting accreditation and development programs in the Pacific region.
Starting as a men’s player, Marshall transitioned into the high-performance umpire pathway and received his All Australian (AA) badge in 2018.
In 2023, he was recognised globally, receiving World Netball’s International Talent Identified Status, after officiating at the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.
“Being back at grassroots netball, whether it’s in the Pacific or in Australia, reignites my passion for the sport,” he said.
Across the Pacific, Marshall has supported a range of new umpires gain their accreditations.As Executive Manager for Netball Victoria, supporting netball both domestically and on a global scale means a lot for Marshall.
“There are different challenges in different areas of the world. The one thing in common we have is that we are passionate about the sport and everyone wants to participate in some way,” he shared.
In 2021, Marshall delivered an online officiating workshop for netball community members in Samoa. Following this, in 2023, the SSN umpire led two face-to-face workshops: one with Netball Fiji, and one with Tonga Netball Association, supporting local umpires in the region via Team Up and the Australian Defence Force Sports Training Program. These workshops focused on rule knowledge and education, preparing umpires for future badging assessments.
Most recently, in May 2025, Marshall helped deliver a Sport Development Workshop in Apia, Samoa. This led to the accreditation of: six new C Badge umpires, 18 Foundation Coaches, and a significant milestone – Samoa’s first B Badge umpire.
“Umpiring has grown immensely in the Pacific over the past few years,” Marshall said.
“When I first started working in this program, there were really no accredited umpires. The development from then to now is enormous and it’s just going to continue to grow.
“It’s about providing knowledge and education to the Pacific Islands’ umpiring cohort, to increase their awareness of the rules and support them with their umpiring journey.”
Beyond accreditations, Marshall highlights there is so much more to providing these sessions with community netball members across the Pacific.
“If I can share some knowledge for participants to pass onto their communities, then that’s the best outcome that could happen,” he explained.
For Marshall, the work has also meant connecting with a part of himself, learning more about his Samoan heritage.
“This is a special moment for me coming to Samoa. My dad was from Samoa, and I haven’t known much about my background and heritage, but coming here makes me want to find out more,” he shared.
“We’ve found where my village is, what district my family is from. It’s been amazing.”
Marshall felt reconnected to his Samoan heritage while visiting the region where his family is from in Vailoa, Samoa.The netball community in Samoa welcomed Marshall with open arms, with many workshop participants having watched him on screen officiating SSN matches, aspiring to reach the same level in their umpiring careers.
Tosha Papalii, one of the workshop participants who has become Samoa’s first B Badge umpire, shared their appreciation for Marshall and Netball Australia’s Workforce Manager Kim Bailey, who also facilitated this workshop with Marshall.
“We have a lack of opportunities for umpiring in Samoa, so learning from Kim and Tim has been a big thing for me, they’re two of the best in the sport,” Papalii shared.
Netball Samoa’s Sport Development Officer Rosabel Tuatagaloa echoed this sentiment.
“From this workshop, we can let our clubs know how good it is to be part of this development pathway to succeed and push to the next level,” Tuatagaloa expressed.
Marshall and Kim Bailey accredited Tosha Papalii as Samoa's first B Badge umpire.Marshall’s work in the Pacific is part of Netball Australia’s broader international development strategy and is supported by Team Up, the Australian Government’s sport for development program which aims to support all people to realise their full potential through sport.
Across the Pacific, there are now 25 C Badge umpires and 3 B Badge umpires (Litia Rabitu in Fiji, Tosha Papalii in Samoa, and Uinita Tauhalaliku in Tonga). The growth and development of umpires across the Pacific exemplifies the power of netball to build capacity, create connections, and empower communities.
Marshall draws on his elite umpiring experience to support the development of Pacific umpires. “It’s crucial participants who aspire to be international or highly accredited umpires can see someone they relate to, ask about their experiences, and career pathway,” Marshall explained.
“For me, the most important lesson I like to pass on is that there is a place for everyone in netball."
To continue to support umpire development throughout the Pacific, Netball Australia is collaborating with Australian umpire experts, like Marshall, to share their knowledge with local netball communities in Fiji, PNG, Samoa, and Tonga.
Want to know more about Netball Australia’s international development work? See more here.
