Brisbane

Premiership defender Justin Leppitsch to replace Michael Voss as coach of Brisbane Lions

 

TRIPLE Brisbane premiership defender Justin Leppitsch will be the Lions' sole senior coach after the club abandoned its succession plan involving Neil Craig.

Leppitsch is currently a highly regarded Richmond assistant coach but will return to Brisbane to try to save a club in freefall.

An official announcement is expected this afternoon or tomorrow after Leppitsch impressed the club‘s coaching selection panel in recent interviews.

Lepptisch's appointment was ratified by the club's board today at a board meeting in Melbourne.

Melbourne caretaker coach Craig was seen to be the man to ease a younger assistant into a the role, but coaching panel member Leigh Matthews said last Thursday he was not in favour of succession models.

The succession plan has been adopted by Melbourne, where Paul Roos will serve as senior coach while he mentors his successor.

Leppitsch is a 227-gamer who will need all of his wiles if he is to help Brisbane given its current troubles.

The Herald Sun last week revealed that all of top-30 draft picks Billy Longer, Elliot Yeo and Jared Polec want out, with five other players considering their future.

He will need to sooth a frazzled playing list as well as make key decisions on the future of former teammates Simon Black and Jonathan Brown.

The Lions are also cash-strapped and asking the AFL Commission for a handout to help them given their financial predicament.

The Lions lost $2,513,262 last year, following losses of $1.8m in 2011 and $2.5m in 2010.

Leppitsch is the favourite son that Brisbane needs, but even he would concede he does not have a wealth of experience.

After retiring from the Lions he was an assistant coach there before putting in four years with Richmond.

He is a premiership teammate of Michael Voss, who was sacked late in the season.

The board dispute at Brisbane was not solved at a mediation meeting at AFL headquarters today.

Chairman Angus Jonsion has not budged from his stance and the club appears to be still on track for an Emergency General Meeting.

Talks will resume tomorrow and may last for some days.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/premiership-defender-justin-leppitsch-to-replace-michael-voss-as-coach-of-brisbane-lions/story-fni5f4q3-1226726192906

So how does a club that won 3 and played in 4 GF's end up losing $2 mill a year for the past three years get accepted for assistance while we get thrown under the bus for poor governance?

Couldnt freaking stand him as a player.

Couldnt freaking stand him as a player.

+1, was a real douche

Right so they are broke yet building a 60 million dollar training center at springfield.

Afl federal government and local council to help pay for it.

What a mess they are in no wonder players want out.

Leppa.

So how does a club that won 3 and played in 4 GF's end up losing $2 mill a year for the past three years get accepted for assistance while we get thrown under the bus for poor governance?

Have you seen their crowds?
Biggest front runners in the comp, few lean years and they get 2 men and a dog there.
Swans will be the same, couple of poor seasons and they will back to the sub 10,000 crowd mark

 

So how does a club that won 3 and played in 4 GF's end up losing $2 mill a year for the past three years get accepted for assistance while we get thrown under the bus for poor governance?

Have you seen their crowds?
Biggest front runners in the comp, few lean years and they get 2 men and a dog there.
Swans will be the same, couple of poor seasons and they will back to the sub 10,000 crowd mark

 

That and plunking new teams in their supporter zones.  AFL are real smart operators.

Another Mark Neeld like selection?

Leppitsch officially announced as Lions coach.

3 year deal

 

 

So how does a club that won 3 and played in 4 GF's end up losing $2 mill a year for the past three years get accepted for assistance while we get thrown under the bus for poor governance?

Have you seen their crowds?
Biggest front runners in the comp, few lean years and they get 2 men and a dog there.
Swans will be the same, couple of poor seasons and they will back to the sub 10,000 crowd mark

 

That and plunking new teams in their supporter zones.  AFL are real smart operators.

 

The AFL won't let that happen, remember, they can change the "rules' at will. Hell, they can probably find some way of getting us to pay for the sh&t teams...oh wait, never mind.

Another Mark Neeld like selection?

we can only hope

I actually liked Voss. Lebithc not so much. Awesome, hate Brisbane again.

So was there a real need to sack Voss?

If they're just going through all their ranga alumni, how long before Ben Fixter gets a call?

Talk on Twittersphere last night that Dusty Martin was on his way up to Brisbane to meet with them as soon as this was announced.

 

I assume that Leppa would know what he is doing if they do pick up Dusty given he would have a pretty good insight to his behaviour at Richmond, but the similarities between this and Crazy Vossy bringing in a noted head case with massive off-field issues, like Brendon Fevola, on big money as his first major move as senior coach of Brisbane are very striking.

 

Hopefully if this ends up happening, it works out just as spectacularly well as Fevola did for them.

So, does this mean we get to keep Goodwin?

Another Mark Neeld like selection?

Actually has a bit of a "Matthew Knights" feel about this one.  Club legend sacked with the intent of bringing in someone highly regarded....only for the process to be stuffed and then appointing a complete novice.

 

Another Mark Neeld like selection?

Actually has a bit of a "Matthew Knights" feel about this one.  Club legend sacked with the intent of bringing in someone highly regarded....only for the process to be stuffed and then appointing a complete novice.

 

They were after Roos but blew it which is what has partly caused the whole board spill conundrem they are currently facing.  They sacked Voss to get Roos but failed.

 

Another Mark Neeld like selection?

Actually has a bit of a "Matthew Knights" feel about this one.  Club legend sacked with the intent of bringing in someone highly regarded....only for the process to be stuffed and then appointing a complete novice.

 

Jeez do people really think Leppitsch could be any worse than Voss?

The guy was, is, and always will be a painfully cringe-worthy prat. I wouldn't be able to take anything he says seriously.

 

Leppitsch will be OK, I think.