Justin Leppitsch
Leppitsch with Richmond in March 2019
Personal information
Full name Justin Leppitsch
Nickname(s) Leppa
Date of birth (1975-10-01) 1 October 1975
Place of birth Melbourne, Australia
Original team(s) Southern Stingrays
Draft No. 4, 1992 National Draft, Brisbane Bears
Height 191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 98 kg (216 lb)
Position(s) Defender
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1993–1996 Brisbane Bears 044 0(58)
1997–2006 Brisbane Lions 183 (136)
Total 227 (194)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1999 Victoria 1 (0)
International team honours
1999–2000 Australia 4 (0)
Coaching career3
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
2014–2016 Brisbane Lions 66 (14–52–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2006.
3 Coaching statistics correct as of 2016.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Justin Leppitsch (born 1 October 1975) is a former professional Australian rules footballer and the former coach of the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early life

Leppitsch was raised in Berwick, Victoria. In 1992, he played in the newly established VSFL Under-18 competition (later known as the TAC Cup) with Southern Stingrays, where he was runner-up for the Morrish Medal,[1] and caught the attention of Brisbane Bears talent scouts. He was selected by Brisbane at pick 4 in the 1992 AFL Draft.[2]

AFL career

Leppitsch in 2006

He made his debut in 1993 for the Bears as a 17-year-old, but was then dropped back to play for West Brisbane where he hurt his knee and required a complete knee reconstruction. He was unable to play football for 15 months.[3]

His breakout season was in 1999 under new coach Leigh Matthews, when he won the Brisbane Best and Fairest award, was selected as All-Australian for the first time[2] and represented Australia in International Rules.

Under Matthews, Leppitsch became a key component of the Lions spine, playing centre half back in the club's three premiership sides from 2001 to 2003 and earned All-Australian status three times.

Late in his career, Leppitsch battled a chronic hamstring-related back injury which inevitably ended his career due to the resulting calf muscle wastage. He announced his immediate retirement from the AFL on 5 June 2006.[4]

He was inducted into the Brisbane Lions Hall of Fame in 2012.[5]

Coaching career

Leppitsch in February 2016

Assistant coaching roles

In October 2006, Leppitsch had accepted a position as an assistant coach with the Brisbane Lions. He later signed with Richmond to be an assistant coach in September 2009.[6]

Brisbane Lions senior coach (2014–2016)

In September 2013, Leppitsch signed a three-year contract to be the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions.[7][8][9][10] Leppitsch replaced Brisbane Lions caretaker senior coach Mark Harvey, who replaced Michael Voss after Voss stepped down during the 2013 season, after Voss was told that he would not receive a contract renewal as Brisbane Lions senior coach for the 2014 season.[11][12][13]

In Leppitsch's first season as Brisbane Lions senior coach in the 2014 season, the club under Leppitsch finished fifteenth (third-last) on the ladder with seven wins and fifteen losses. In the 2015 season, The Lions under Leppitsch, finished seventeenth (second-last) on the ladder with four wins and eighteen losses. In the 2016 season, The Lions under Leppitsch, finished seventeenth (second-last) on the ladder again for the second straight year in a row, this time with three wins and nineteen losses. Leppitsch coached Brisbane Lions to a total of 66 games with 14 wins and 52 losses to a winning percentage of 22 percent.

On 29 August 2016, Leppitsch was sacked by the Lions as senior coach after three seasons with the club, at the end of the 2016 season.[14][15][16][17][18] This occurred, despite being granted a one-year contract extension at the start of the year which would have seen him remain at the club until the end of the 2017 season.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25] He was replaced by Chris Fagan as Brisbane Lions senior coach.[26] Fagan subsequently led the club to a Grand Final in 2023, which they lost to Collingwood, where Leppitsch is now an assistant coach.[27]

Return to assistant coaching roles (2016–present)

Richmond Football Club

On 6 October 2016, Leppitsch returned to Richmond as an assistant coach.[28] Twelve months after being sacked as senior coach of the Brisbane Lions, he played a major role in the club's 2017 AFL premiership win, coaching the forwards.[29][30] He was also an assistant coach during Richmond's 2019 and 2020 premierships. Leppitsch announced that he would leave Richmond as an assistant coach at the end of the 2020 season.[31]

Collingwood Football Club

In September 2021, Leppitsch joined the Collingwood Football Club in an assistant coaching role as Head of Strategy and defence under senior coach Craig McRae.[32][33][34]

Leppitsch again experienced premiership success as an assistant coach in 2023, when Collingwood defeated his old club the Brisbane Lions by four points in the Grand Final.[27]

Statistics

Playing statistics

[35]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
1993 Brisbane Bears 23442271239351.00.56.83.09.80.81.3
1994 Brisbane Bears 2345419524511.31.04.81.36.01.30.3
1995 Brisbane Bears 231748965415048170.20.55.63.28.82.81.0
1996 Brisbane Bears 231945231524920157182.41.28.02.610.63.00.9
1997 Brisbane Lions 232250381866324997202.31.78.52.911.34.40.9
1998 Brisbane Lions 231626171455219764191.61.19.13.312.34.01.2
1999 Brisbane Lions 2325141224286328129300.60.59.73.413.15.21.2
2000 Brisbane Lions 23221112207127334125290.50.59.45.815.25.71.3
2001 Brisbane Lions 23116369351044340.50.36.33.29.53.90.4
2002 Brisbane Lions 2323121020882290115320.50.49.03.612.65.01.4
2003 Brisbane Lions 2322103193105298126320.50.18.84.813.55.71.5
2004 Brisbane Lions 232462173110283108400.30.17.24.611.84.51.7
2005 Brisbane Lions 2314001448022480290.00.010.35.716.05.72.1
2006 Brisbane Lions 234103219512020.30.08.04.812.85.00.5
Career 227 194 134 1893 879 2772 1020 278 0.9 0.6 8.3 3.9 12.2 4.5 1.2

Head coaching record

TeamYearHome and Away SeasonFinals
WonLostDrewWin %PositionWonLostWin %Result
BRI2014 7150.31815th out of 18————
BRI2015 4180.18217th out of 18————
BRI2016 3190.13617th out of 18————
Total14520.212———
[36]

References

  1. ↑ Ashley Browne (2 September 1992). "Northern back takes Morrish". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 28.
  2. 1 2 Walls, Robert (10 July 2004). "Milestones for greats". The Age.
  3. ↑ Voss, Michael (11 June 2006). "Competitive fire burned deep in Leppa". The Sunday Age.
  4. ↑ Stafford, Andrew (6 June 2006). "Leppitsch calls it a day as injuries take their toll". The Age.
  5. ↑ Hall of Fame – Justin Leppitsch Archived 30 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ Hogan, Jesse (18 September 2009). "Tigers snare Leppitsch, Lade". BrisbaneTimes.com.au. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  7. ↑ Lions confirm Leppitsch to replace Voss
  8. ↑ "Brisbane Lions appoint Justin Leppitsch head coach". ABC News. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "Leppitsch the new Lions coach". 25 September 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "Justin Leppitsch to coach Brisbane Lions". 24 September 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  11. ↑ "Mark Harvey quits Lions, Schwab joins staff". 3 October 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  12. ↑ "Justin Leppitsch confirmed as Brisbane Lions coach". TheGuardian.com. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  13. ↑ "Key calls loom as new Brisbane Lions coach Justin Leppitsch takes over". 30 September 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  14. ↑ "Brisbane Lions sack coach Justin Leppitsch after 'bitterly disappointing' AFL season". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 29 August 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  15. ↑ "Leppitsch sacked as Lions' AFL head coach". 29 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  16. ↑ "Brisbane Lions sack senior coach Justin Leppitsch". 29 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  17. ↑ "Brisbane Lions have sacked coach Justin Leppitsch after another horror season". 29 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  18. ↑ "Justin Leppitsch sacked as Brisbane Lions coach". 29 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  19. ↑ Whiting, Michael (7 March 2016). "'Never any doubt': Lions confirm Leppitsch contract extension". AAP. Australian Football League.
  20. ↑ "AFL season 2016: Brisbane Lions axe coach Justin Leppitsch". 29 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  21. ↑ "Justin Leppitsch sacked: The 'mad Monday' phone call that brought down a proud Brisbane Lion". 29 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  22. ↑ "Justin Leppitsch sacked as Brisbane Lions AFL coach". The Guardian. 28 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  23. ↑ "Justin Leppitsch sacked as Lions coach". 29 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  24. ↑ "Leppitsch sacked as Brisbane coach". 28 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  25. ↑ "Why Justin Leppitsch failed as senior coach of the Brisbane Lions". 29 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  26. ↑ "Brisbane Lions name Chris Fagan as Justin Leppitsch's replacement as head AFL coach". ABC News. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  27. 1 2 Hope, Shayne (2 October 2023). "Leppitsch surprised by Pies' rapid climb to AFL summit". Perth Now. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  28. ↑ "Leppitsch returns to Richmond". richmondfc.com.au. 6 October 2016.
  29. ↑ Edmund, Sam (4 October 2017). "The coach: How Dimma guided Tigers". Herald Sun.
  30. ↑ "Leppitsch lives Tiger dream after Lions nightmare". The Morning Bulletin. 28 September 2017.
  31. ↑ "Key Tigers assistant to quit at season's end".
  32. ↑ "Leppitsch and Bolton arrive at the Pies". 13 September 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  33. ↑ "Pies add Bolton and Leppitsch, Hale to Hawks". 13 September 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  34. ↑ "Leppitsch and Bolton join McRae's Magpies". 14 September 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  35. ↑ Justin Leppitsch's player profile at AFL Tables
  36. ↑ "Justin Leppitch's coaching profile". AFL Tables.
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