Hume City Broncos grand final coach Matt Foster has made the call to step down as the club’s Big V men’s championship coach with the club already locking in his replacement.
Foster led the Broncos to three grand finals during his time in his seven years in charge which included two Covid-19 affected season.
The Broncos fell agonisingly short of their first men’s championship since 2004, losing the recent decider 87-81.
Broncos general manager Glen Milner said that Foster had made a massive impact on the program.
“When Matt first arrived, the program was in need of direction,” he said. “Over his tenure he turned the men’s team around, guiding them to the finals in every season and building a sustainable culture around winning with good people and good players.
“Under his leadership, the Broncos became known not just for results on the court, but also for the values and standards he instilled off it. We wish Matt all the best for the future and we thank his wife Dara and
the family for allowing him to commit to the time consuming demands of a head coaching role over such a lengthy period.”
The club said that Foster had shown outstanding leadership, led them to consistent finals appearances, and there was a strong culture he built both on and off the court.
Youth league men’s coach Simon Gray will step up into the championship role. Gray coached their youth league to back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024 and led the team to qualify for the Victorian youth championship division in 2025.
Gray said he was excited for the challenge.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue the legacy that Matt has established here at the Broncos.
“I’m looking forward to working with Steve [Paslawskyj Tane [de Silva] and Jay [Saifaleupolu] to further develop our young group, maintaining the strong connection with our youth league and junior programs and providing an accessible and seamless pathway for our young people to journey through.”
Milner said the club had hesitation in appointing Gray with his background at the club and familiarity with the playing group.
“We are confident that the men’s program will continue to flourish under Simon’s stewardship and we look forward to another strong performance by the Broncos in 2026.”
