THE AFL could make history in 2016 and see its first ever female field umpire.

Eleni Glouftsis, who last year became the VFL’s first female field umpire, is one of 12 rookies on the AFL’s umpires list.

The league lists 32 umpires as well as a dozen rookies who sit on the bench on game-day and enter the match if an injury occurs.

That means if an umpire is hurt at one of Glouftsis’ matches this season, she will break the umpiring glass ceiling.

Round 18

“She’s done quite a few club visits,” AFL Umpires Director Wayne Campbell told SEN.

“(She’s) coming along really well.”

Glouftsis has been umpiring intraclub games this pre-season, having already worked at St Kilda and doing the same for Essendon on Friday.

“Well, let’s pray for an injury,” SEN co-host David Schwarz joked.

South Australian Glouftsis earned a three-year scholarship to train with the VFL and AFL in 2014.

She along with Libby Toovey and Annie Mirabile umpired the exhibition women’s matches in 2015, while Glouftsis was also the first woman to umpire a SANFL game, working on 15 games in 2014.

The AFL has previously had three female goal umpires — Katrina Pressley, Chelsea Roffey and Rose O’Dea.