Forever known as the AFL umpire former Essendon champion James Hird referred to as "disgraceful," Scott McLaren said the verbal attack was a "defining moment" in umpire-player relations.

McLaren, who will umpire his 300th senior match - coincidentally between Essendon and the Western Bulldogs - on Friday night at Telstra Dome, revealed the incident was the toughest time in his career.

Hird volunteered to pay a $20,000 fine for his public criticism in 2004, which singled out McLaren, and Essendon were also hit with a $5000 fine.

While he said there was no ill-feeling with the Bombers star after Hird shook his hand during the 2005 Grand Final parade, McLaren said there was a benefit that came out of the saga.

"I guess it was perhaps a defining moment," McLaren said.

"It drew a bit of a line in the sand in terms of what is and what isn't acceptable of public criticism from players to umpires."

"Whilst I had a tough week there, probably it was for the greater good because now you don't hear players coming out in the media and saying things about umpires anymore."

McLaren also defended the AFL's zero-tolerance stance on on-field umpire abuse.

There have been numerous occasions so far this year where umpires have punished players with fifty-metre penalties for the slightest bit of back-chat.

But McLaren said it was critical the AFL set a standard which filtered down to the lower grades of football.

"We feel it's important that we set the tone at the highest level for those lower levels like suburban competitions because they see what the AFL players do on Friday night and if they see them abuse the umpires and get away with it, they say "I'll do that on Sunday,"

"...then umpires leave the game and then we've got leagues not having enough umpires."

McLaren, who made his AFL umpire debut in 1994, said unprecedented popularity in the game meant the laws committee need not tinker with the rules.

But he admitted the speed of the play was the greatest change to the game in his time adjudicating in the competition.

"I get a few sore spots but fortunately my wife is a physiotherapist, so she looks after me."

"I'm a pharmacist so I've got a few remedies that get rid of the sore spots.

McLaren, who has umpired in four AFL grand finals and two international rules series matches in Ireland, said he was thrilled to umpire his first game at senior level and was surprised to reach his 300 game milestone.

He said his highlight was officiating in the 2005 premiership thriller between West Coast and Sydney, including adjudicating that memorable mark Sydney's Leo Barry took in the dying seconds of the match to give the Swans the premiership.

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