EDFL: Champion Pascoe Vale defender Luke Foster retires

Pascoe Vale will be without one of its star players in 2020, but the Panthers have wasted little time bolstering their line-up for next season, securing four key signings.

Luke Foster has spent the past four seasons with Pascoe Vale. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Pascoe Vale champion Luke Foster has called time on his decorated career.

Foster has spent the past four seasons with the Panthers after arriving from Western Australia, establishing himself as one of the leading defenders in EDFL Premier Division.

He claimed the Panthers’ best-and-fairest in 2016, finished second in the Reynolds Medal in the same season and was named in the Team of the Year three times.

Strathmore’s Athan Tsialtas battles with Luke Foster this year. Picture: Mark Dadswell

“He’s a gun — an absolute gun,” Pascoe Vale coach Digby Morrell said of Foster.

“He will be missed. We’ve got that void to fill.

“We’ve got Stu Hobijn-Allen, who didn’t play for us this year, but he was on a VFL list three or four years ago (at Sandringham). He went back to Shepparton and won a premiership there, so if his body can hold up, we’re really confident he can come in and fill that role.

“Obviously ‘Fozzy’ was a bit of a leader in our group, so all the guys we’ve chased over summer have really had to have those leadership and communication skills.

“Big shoes to fill, but our boys are really looking forward to cracking into next year.”

The Panthers have been busy bolstering their squad after they were eliminated in the opening week of finals.

Damandeep Aujla, who bagged 35 goals from 18 games in 2019 and earned selection in the Team of the Year, has crossed from Airport West.

Damandeep Aujla in action for Coburg in 2017. Picture: Steve Tanner

Morrell said Aujla was keen to continue to test himself in a top-flight competition after the Eagles were relegated to Division 1.

“He just gives us that mid-forward we probably lacked and is someone who has got a little more flexibility in the way he plays,” he said.

“Really excited to get him on board. He interviewed really well and is passionate about what he does, so we’re looking forward to him driving our group to get better.

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“He was very good the two times we played against him this year and we walked away thinking he was definitely someone we should follow.

“We think he’ll fit right in and play some great footy.”

Midfielder Sam Godden, who has had stints with state league clubs NT Thunder and Glenelg, has also signed on at Pascoe Vale.

NT Waratahs co-captain Nick Gooch has committed and will bolster the defence, while Essendon VFL-listed Daniel Guccione will be an aligned player.

The Panthers have also lost Daniel Johncock, but Morrell said they had were close to completing their recruiting efforts.

“We’ve spent a lot of time trying to lock away our young guys and making sure we do the right thing by them,” he said.

Pascoe Vale is also set to be boosted by the return of big man Giles Guest in 2020 after he spent the season on the sidelines after undergoing a knee reconstruction.

“It will be 12 months come Round 1 next year, so there’s every chance if he rehabs it properly and has a bit of luck and doesn’t have any setbacks, that’s an option,” Morrell said.

“But if he got up and going by Round 6 or 7, that would be OK with me as well.”

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