The Bombers midfielder will play his 200th Hampden league senior game on Saturday, having missed just 14 matches since his debut in 2004.

But Foster’s charmed injury-free run came to an end last season.

A knee injury in a practice game forced the loyal Bomber — he’s worn red and black his entire football career — to miss the first 10 games.

The former interleague captain said the setback emphasised how grateful he was to string so many games together.

“You have to have a lot of luck when you’re coming through to stay injury-free and I have been pretty fortunate,” Foster said.

“I only missed two or three games prior to that (knee injury). Last year was my biggest stint on the sidelines.

“It is definitely frustrating sitting back on the sidelines; you definitely want to be out there playing with your mates.”

Foster used his forced break to work on his coaching aspirations. 

He worked alongside then-mentor Stephen Hammond before joining Wayne Robertson in a joint coaching capacity this season. 

“You see football in a different way,” Foster said of watching from the bench.

“It was good in a sense that I got a feel for coaching last year being an assistant.” 

Foster is relishing the chance to play a mentoring role to Cobden’s promising juniors.

The Bombers will again field a youth-laden side this season — skipper Sam Cunnington is only 20 — in a bid to build a list capable of challenging for a sustained period.

Foster and leadership group member Damon Delaney — both 28 — were Cobden’s oldest players in its round one win against Hamilton Kangaroos last weekend.

Forward Chris Paatsch, 25, was next in line. 

“With the three of us out ... the average might be 18 or 19,” Foster said.

“It is exciting. One thing they bring to the table is enthusiasm.

“They are keen and eager to go all the time.

“It’s good for us older blokes — it keeps us keen.”

Foster’s first real insight into football was when he was 10 and would sit alongside his father Michael, who was chairman of selectors during the Bombers’ premiership years in 1997-98, at games.

He would love to play in a Cobden flag.

The Bungador dairy farmer has come close twice at senior level, in the 2007 and 2012 grand finals.

He knows the Bombers are a work in progress but is excited about where the latest crop of juniors could take the club.

“It was good to get on the board early,” Foster said of their round one win.

“They (Hamilton Kangaroos) challenged us a few times and the young boys stood up when the challenge was set. I was happy with how we finished.” 

Foster will reach his 200-game milestone against Camperdown — one of the Bombers’ big rivals and, coincidentally, the club he made his debut against 11 years ago.

He expects the Anzac Day match at Leura Oval to be a big test, with both sides coming off confidence-boosting wins.