Most Essendon District Football League fans would be familiar with two of the three EDFL players near the top of AFL Victoria metro goalkickers list.
Keilor’s Dean Galea has been kicking goals for a number of years for a number of teams and is leading the charge with 78 this season.
Craigieburn’s Cameron Cloke’s name alone is enough for people to know him, let alone the fact he has kicked 73 goals this season.
The third player on that list, Roxburgh Park’s Luke Capuano, isn’t as well known.
Capuano has been a revelation this season. He leads the division 2 goalkickers with 67 and was fifth on the list senior goalkickers in metro Melbourne heading into last weekend.
He slipped out of the top five after kicking just one goal on Saturday against East Sunbury.
It isn’t bad for a player who is still eligible to play under-18s and is in his first season as a forward.
”I’ve been in the back line my whole life and Dessy [coach Paul Derrick] came to me at the start of the year and said I’ve got a new role,” Capuano said.
“He sort of asked me where I wanted to play and I said forward. I’ve branded myself as a forward this year and I’ve enjoyed it.”
After twice missing out on making the Calder Cannons squad, Capuano decided he wanted to do whatever he could to get himself noticed.
“I lost a bit of passion at the start [after missing out a second time] but I’ve kept working and working and now I’ve got where I am,” he said.
“Not many make a name in the backline. I thought I’d try to make a name for myself up forward and it’s worked well so far.”
Capuano’s rise to the star goal kicker of division 2 has shocked everyone, including himself.
“I thought I’d be pocket to Timmy Blacker or Shannon Dawson so to take the lead is pretty cool,” he said.
“I kicked three and then zero and it’s been good since then.
“I’ve been kicking pretty straight and I can’t complain about that.
“Whatever the team needs I’ll do, as long as we get that premiership at the end of the year.”
Capuano said that being ranked in the top five goalkickers in metro Melbourne was beyond his dreams.
“I’ve been there for three weeks now . . . it’s pretty cool,” he said.
While Capuano’s focus is firmly on a premiership this year, he has started thinking what the future may hold.
“Hopefully, some interest from some VFL clubs and I’ll see what’s best for my football,” he said.
“I want to get to the highest level I can go. I’ll keep pushing myself.”
