The East Perth Football Club has appointed West Coast Eagles development coach Luke Webster as its league coach for the 2017 season.
Webster replaces 2016 league coach Jaymie Graham, who last week assumed the Eagles’ forward line coach role.
Webster played 107 games for East Perth between 2000-2010 and was a member of the Royals’ 2001 premiership-winning team.
He also has AFL playing experience, having been drafted to Fremantle in the 2001 Rookie Draft. Webster was elevated to the Dockers’ senior list in 2003 – the year in which he snared the Simpson medal against South Australia – and played 33 games for the club.
Upon his retirement from the AFL in 2010, Webster accepted a development coaching role at Carlton and in 2013 assumed the role as senior coach of the club’s VFL affiliate side, the Northern Blues.
Webster moved back to Perth last year to take up a development coaching role with West Coast.
East Perth chief executive Dean Turner said he was proud to appoint a coach with such a rich link to the Royals.
Webster’s grandfather, Ray, played in East Perth’s 1956 premiership team, his father Ron was a decorated player for the club throughout the 1970s and his older brother, Ryan, also played league football in the black and blue.
“Being able to bring a 100-game player and former captain of the club back into the senior coaching role is fantastic for our young squad,” Turner said.
“Luke’s experience with Carlton and West Coast will be invaluable in leading the team into this new era.”
West Coast general manager of football Craig Vozzo said he felt Webster was a great fit for the role.
“Luke has worked under a similar partnership arrangement to the one we enjoy with East Perth during his time as head coach of the Northern Blues in the VFL and already has a strong understanding of the club and its culture,” Vozzo said.
“We look forward to Luke leading the Royals and continuing to drive the improvement of players from both clubs.”
Webster said he was looking forward to the challenges that would come with coaching a WAFL league side.
“I am honoured to take on this role at a club that has meant so much to me and my family for so many years,” he said.
‘There is an extremely talented, hard working group coming through at East Perth. It is hard not to be excited.’
