Mathew Nicholls

{{Short description|Australian rules football umpire (born 1977)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}

{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Mathew Nicholls

| image = Mathew Nicholls Lions vs Suns 2017.jpg

|image_size=100px

| caption = Nicholls at a game between the Brisbane Lions and the Gold Coast Suns in August 2017

| alt =

| fullname = Matthew Nicholls

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1977}}

| umpireleague1 = AFL

| umpirerole1 = Field umpire

| umpireyears1 = 2003–

| umpiregames1 = 406

}}

Mathew Nicholls (born 1977) is an Australian rules football field umpire in the Australian Football League.

He officiated in the 2013 AFL Grand Final{{cite web|url=http://aflua.com.au/afl-announces-grand-final-umpires/|title=AFL announces Grand Final umpires|date=24 September 2013|author=Julia Gauci|accessdate=26 September 2013|publisher=Australian Football League Umpires Association}} and the 2014 AFL Grand Final.

Nicholls was notably umpiring during the infamous Sirengate match between {{AFL Stk}} and {{AFL Fre}} in 2006, when play was allowed to continue after the final siren because the siren was too quiet for Nicholls to hear.{{cite news | url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/04/30/1146335612707.html |accessdate=29 September 2013| title = Siren signals chaos as Saints steal draw| first = Richard | last = Hinds | date =1 May 2006}}

Nicholls is also notably referred to as "the best bouncer in the business", by commentator Brian Taylor, a reference to his ability to produce a large centre bounce.