Tasmania Devils Land Nigel Lappin as Head of Development on August 3

The Tasmania Devils have landed Geelong’s Nigel Lappin as their inaugural head of development, the club announced on August 3. Lappin, 50, is a three-time premiership player with Brisbane and has been widely regarded as the AFL’s best development coach for more than a decade. The deal comes two weeks after Ken Hinkley joined as senior coach on a five-year deal through 2031. Lappin will remain at Geelong for the rest of 2026 before joining the Devils.

Why Lappin matters for Tasmania’s 2028 entry

The Devils will soon welcome a batch of elite 17-year-olds eligible to play VFL in 2027 before the inaugural AFL season in 2028. Lappin’s role as head of development is critical to preparing these young players. Sam Edmund of SEN said the position is “absolutely massive for this club” and that Hinkley specifically wanted Lappin in the role.

Lappin’s track record at Geelong and Brisbane

Lappin played 279 games across 15 years for Brisbane, winning three premierships and four All-Australian awards. He joined Geelong in 2009 and worked as midfield coach before moving to development in 2013. He was instrumental in developing players including Mark Blicavs, Ollie Dempsey, Oisin Mullin, and Tom Stewart. He nearly left for Carlton last year but chose to stay at the Cats.

Connection between Hinkley and Lappin

Hinkley and Lappin worked together at Geelong for one season in 2009. Lappin will also link up with former Brisbane premiership teammate Alastair Lynch, who is the Devils’ football director. This network of shared history and relationships strengthens Tasmania’s coaching structure as the club builds toward AFL entry.

What this means for the expansion club

Lappin’s appointment signals Tasmania’s commitment to developing youth talent systematically rather than relying solely on established players. With elite young talent incoming and Lappin’s proven ability to develop players into premiership contributors, the Devils are positioning themselves for long-term competitiveness from their first AFL season in 2028.

Final Thoughts

Lappin’s signing gives Tasmania a world-class development infrastructure before kicking off in 2028. Combined with Hinkley’s coaching experience, the Devils now have two of Australian football’s most respected figures building the club’s foundation.

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