Royals Appoint League Coach

East Perth Football Club has appointed former East Perth Captain and current West Coast Eagles development coach Luke Webster as League Coach for the 2017 season. Webster will replace 2016 League Coach Jaymie Graham who has taken a senior coaching role at the Eagles.

Luke played 107 games for the Royals between 2000 and 2010. Webster was a member of the 2001 Premiership team. A no nonsense defender who also ran through the midfield, Luke was drafted to Fremantle in the 2001 Rookie Draft. Luke was elevated to the senior list in 2003, the year he also won the Simpson Medal against South Australia in his first of three matches representing Western Australia.

Retiring at the end of the 2010 season, Luke took up a development coaching role at the Carlton Football Club. In 2013 he took on the additional responsibility of coaching Carlton’s affiliate VFL side, the Northern Blues. Webster moved back to Perth in 2015 to take up his current position at the West Coast Eagles.

The Webster name has a long and proud history at East Perth. Luke’s grandfather Ray played in the 1956 Premiership team. His father Ron was a decorated player throughout the 70’s who then went on to become a highly respected administrator firstly as General Manager of East Perth in 1981 and 1982 then moving to the Western Australian Amateur Football League. Ryan, Luke’s older brother also played League football for the Royals.

‘The club is proud to appoint a coach whose family has such strong ties with East Perth’ CEO Dean Turner said. 

‘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.’ 

‘Luke’s experience with Carlton and West Coast will be invaluable in leading the team into this new era.’

West Coast Eagles Football Manager Craig Vozzo commented “Luke has extensive coaching experience and we feel his appointment at East Perth is a great fit for all parties,” 

“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.

“We look forward to Luke leading the Royals and continuing to drive the improvement of players from both clubs.” Vozzo said.

‘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’ Webster said. 

‘There is an extremely talented, hard working group coming through at East Perth. It is hard not to be excited.’