Luke Partington reflects on time at West Coast after signing with SANFL side Glenelg
As an AFL player on the outer of West Coast’s premiership winning side, the day that every player dreads had come for Luke Partington.
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As an AFL player on the outer of West Coast’s premiership winning side, the day that every player dreads had come for Luke Partington.
The 21-year-old midfielder says he could tell the writing was on the wall, but that didn’t make it any easier when the Eagles informed him his tenure at the club was over.
“It was tough to take, I won’t lie,” Partington says.
“As a player, you do see the writing on the wall and I sort of did.
“There were 10 guys coming out of contract, so I’d prepared for it mentally.
“As much as you do though, it still hurts when it happens.”
Partington will now move onto the next stage of his life, pulling on the boots for Glenelg in 2019.
This year he was unable to break into a strong Eagles side, which went on to defeat Collingwood and snare a flag.
He had dominated in the WAFL as a joint winner of East Perth’s best and fairest and was frustrated at his lack of AFL opportunities.
Partington was still holding some hope of being taken by another club in last month’s drafts but none came knocking.
It is not to say the Tumby Bay native has given up hope of adding to his six games and three years in the AFL system.
“If an (AFL) opportunity came along, I was open to going anywhere,” says Partington, who was courted by four SANFL clubs.
“There wasn’t much interest so I wasn’t expecting anything.
“The most important thing for me was having fun and enjoying footy again.
“The AFL lifestyle is great and I’m really grateful for the three years I had at the Eagles, but it is very full-on.
“I’ve still got a strong desire to get back there.”
Partington elected not to return to Norwood, where he played before being drafted in 2015.
He says he was faced with a tough decision before deciding to jump on board with coach Mark Stone’s vision for Glenelg.
Partington joins returning forward Liam McBean and defender Brad Agnew in headlining the Bays’ key signings so far this off-season.
patrick.keam@news.com.au
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