Umpire Ray Chamberlain will don the whistle for Saturday's NAB Cup clash between Richmond and Essendon. Picture: Andrew Tauber Source: Herald Sun
THE umpire fans love to abuse - Ray "Razor" Chamberlain - returns to action on Saturday after missing last season with a knee injury.
The AFL's most recognised flamboyant umpire, Chamberlain said he is excited about officiating at the Richmond v Essendon clash at Wangaratta.
And while some might suggest he doesn't mind his cult following, he said he's learnt more about himself and where umpiring sits in his life in the past 18 months.
Chamberlain said his time out had been a revelation as he realised he had put umpiring before everything else and been oblivious to other things in his life.
After umpiring 110 consecutive games, Chamberlain said his career was going along nicely.
"Sleep, eat, read, rehab, prepare for games, review games ... and all that would come ahead of games and I was oblivious to other things in my life which suffered," he said.
"What 18 months away does - apart from a lot of time on the iTunes because you're training on your own - (is) it gives you a lot of time to think and put your energies into other stuff.
"You realise I'm not Ray Chamberlain the AFL umpire, but I'm Ray Chamberlain the dad, I'm Ray Chamberlain the finance company, I'm Ray Chamberlain the son ... all those things."
The rest has also made him realise how much he loves umpiring and admits he'd lost sight of that because he was getting a bit cranky.
Chamberlain carried a patella tendon injury in the second half of the 2011 season and hoped rest would heal it, but scar tissue forced him to have surgery.
Keen to enjoy a lower profile, he said: "I have no control over whoever this Razor dude is. I didn't create it and I just want to get back umpiring with my mates."
Razor Ray returns to fray
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Razor Ray returns to fray
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Razor Ray returns to fray
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