View source for Luke Webster

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer and coach}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Luke Webster
| image = 
| fullname = Luke Webster
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|5|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = [[East Perth Football Club|East Perth]] ([[West Australian Football League|WAFL]])
| height = 185 cm
| weight = 86 kg
| position = 
| statsend = 2008
| repstatsend = 2010
| years1 = 2003–08
| club1 = {{AFL Fre}}
| games_goals1 = 33 (11)
| sooyears1 = 2003; 2009–10
| sooteam1 = [[West Australian Football League|WAFL]]
| soogames_goals1 = 3 (0)
| careerhighlights = * [[West Australian Football League|WAFL]] representative side 2003, 2009, 2010
* [[Simpson Medal]] 2003 <small>(state)</small>
* [[West Australian Football League|WAFL]] representative captain 2010
}}

'''Luke Webster''' (born 25 May 1982) is an [[Australian rules football]] coach and former player. He played for {{AFL Fre}} in the [[Australian Football League]], and currently serves as senior coach of the [[West Coast Eagles]] in the [[West Australian Football League]] and as a development coach at AFL club the [[West Coast Eagles]].

Webster played primarily as a midfielder or defender. He was drafted to the [[Fremantle Football Club]] as the first selection in the [[2001 AFL Draft|2001 AFL Rookie Draft]], and was elevated to the senior list during the 2003 season following an outstanding year for [[East Perth Football Club|East Perth]], which included being awarded the [[Simpson Medal]] as the best player for [[Western Australia]] in the state game against [[South Australia]].

As a junior, he captained the [[Western Australia]]n Under 18s team in the 2000 national championships and played for the [[East Perth Football Club]] in the [[West Australian Football League|WAFL]], including their 2001 premiership team.

Webster's playing career was plagued by injury, having three knee reconstructions in four years.  He first injured his left knee during the first game of the Under 18s carnival and had to undergo a knee reconstruction which put him out of the remainder of the 2000 season.  In 2002, after showing promising form in the pre-season games for Fremantle, he suffered another injury to the left knee requiring a second knee reconstruction in a practice match against Collingwood at Fremantle Oval.  A week after being one of Fremantle's best players in its first ever final in 2003, he damaged his right [[anterior cruciate ligament]] playing for East Perth in the WAFL preliminary final. He returned to the AFL for Round 21, 2004 and played the last two games of the season. After being in and out of the Fremantle team for the next 3 years, Webster injured his left knee again early in the 2008 season whilst playing for East Perth. Webster underwent a knee reconstruction via the controversial LARS method of using a synthetic ligament instead of the body's own tissue with a view to an earlier than anticipated return in season 2008.

Webster's brother Ryan, father Ron and grandfather Ray also all played league football for East Perth.  [[Ron Webster (Australian rules footballer)|Ron Webster]], who died in January 2006, was also the CEO of the [[Western Australian Amateur Football League]].

After the end of his playing career, Webster took on a role as a development coach at the [[Carlton Football Club]]. In 2013, he additionally took on the role of senior coach of Carlton's {{VFL-affiliate}}, the [[Northern Blues]].<ref name="webster">{{cite web|url=http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4311/newsid/149379/default.aspx|title=Webster announced VFL coach|date=8 October 2012|accessdate=8 October 2012|publisher=Carlton Football Club|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121230081957/http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4311/newsid/149379/default.aspx|archivedate=30 December 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

After the 2015 season Webster was released by Carlton.  He then signed as a Development coach with the [[West Coast Eagles]] in October.<ref>{{cite web|title=Webster appointed|url=http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2015-10-30/webster-appointed|website=westcoasteagles.com.au|publisher=West Coast Football Club|accessdate=9 November 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{AFL Tables}}
*{{AustralianFootball}}
*{{WAFL FootyFacts}}

{{Simpson Medal winners}}
{{2002 AFL rookie draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Webster, Luke}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Fremantle Football Club players]]
[[Category:East Perth Football Club players]]
[[Category:Preston Football Club (VFA) coaches]]
[[Category:People educated at Trinity College, Perth]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Western Australia]]
[[Category:East Perth Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen]]