By Chris Pike
LUKE Webster celebrated his 100th game with East Perth in fine style on Saturday and is proud to reach the mark and to have come back to finish his career with the Royals and continue his strong family history.
The 28-year-old led his team with pride on Saturday in the 53-point win over East Fremantle to keep the Royals' finals hopes alive and Webster was outstanding in his 100th game with 26 possessions and keeping dangerous Sharks forward Aaron Monk quiet.
Webster began his career playing with East Perth just like his grandfather Ray, father Ron and brother Ryan did and played in the 2001 premiership before being picked up by Fremantle and endured terrible knee injuries but packed plenty into his 33 matches.
He played in three of Fremantle's four finals to date, kicked a winning goal and without doubt proved he could have added many more than 33 games if it wasn’t for the four knee reconstructions he had to fight back from.
When he decided to retire from the AFL at the end of the 2008 season, he had the easiest decision in his life to make and return to East Perth - and got the added bonus of remaining at Fremantle as player development manager.
He was then provided one of the biggest honours of his career to go with captaining WA, winning a State game Simpson Medal and playing in the flag when coach Tony Micale asked him to join Michael Swan and Craig Glancy as co-captain.
East Perth has always been a strong part of the Webster family and Luke is delighted to begin his career with the Royals and now end it at the end of this season.
"It was the easiest choice I ever had to make. I always wanted to come back to play with the Royals. I obviously started here back in 2000 before I was drafted and was lucky enough to play a couple of games that year before I got injured," Webster said.
"To then play in a premiership with the Royals was definitely a career highlight and once I did my first knee back in 2000 I never thought I'd actually make the AFL but I always said that I'd get myself right to play a lot of games for East Perth and hopefully one day captain the club.
"I was lucky enough to be named captain last year and into this year and it was another thing I wanted to tick off along the way. I have a lot of tradition with my grandfather, father and brother playing here at the club and we've been involved for a long period of time. I wanted to stay involved here and give something back to the club, and hopefully I've done that."
Webster's highlights over his career are shared between East Perth and Fremantle, and his heart beyond his playing days will remain with both, and he's proud of everything he has achieved over a career that has seen him become one of the most-respected West Australian footballers.
"My first game of AFL footy stands out and so does the premiership at East Perth, but also playing with quality blokes like Peter Bell, Matthew Pavlich, Paul Hasleby, Aaron Sandilands and Shaun McManus," he said.
"To go through the system with those guys was a standout and to see their professionalism and way they go about their game was great. The prelim final in 2006 was a great experience even though we lost and all those things are highlights, but so is to come back and captain East Perth with the tradition that we have here."
East Perth and Fremantle will always be dear to Webster's heart and he'd like to keep working with the Dockers for as long as possible, but if not there then a continued career in football is what he is hoping for.
"I'll always look back on my days at East Perth fondly and it will always be part of me, and I'll always support the club right until the end. Obviously with Freo I've played there and now work there, and will always be passionate about that club and making sure that I can help impart knowledge onto the guys there," he said.
"I'll definitely stay at Fremantle. I'm really enjoying my role and we've got a good young list coming through. It's been great to have a hand in helping some of those kids move over and set up in Perth and it's an enjoyable job. I wanted to give back to the club and help the kids along their way.
"If my future is not at Fremantle, I'd like to stay involved in footy in some capacity."
