Brisbane Lions Deputy Chairman Leigh Matthews says Senior Coach Justin Leppitsch has been a “revelation’’ at the Gabba.
With the 2015 premiership just weeks away, Matthews says the Club has the right people in the right positions with Leppitsch and CEO Greg Swann steering Brisbane towards a bigger and brighter future.
“It’s fair to say Leppa has been a revelation,’’ Matthews told The Sunday Mail.
“I often say that players have to believe that their dreams and ambitions can be lived out at this football club.
“Leppa has done a very good job and has a really good feel for what comes under the umbrella of ‘culture’.
“He and the football department have created the right environment for the players — it’s got to be challenging, it’s got to be stimulating and it’s also got to be comfortable in terms of you are happy to go in there every day.’’
Leigh Matthews is named Deputy Chairman of the Brisbane Lions
Matthews said the buoyant mood at the Gabba played a big part in the club’s spectacular off-season recruiting campaign.
“Dayne Beams was the best player that changed clubs in the AFL over the summer and he came to Brisbane which is fantastic,’’ he said.
“I don’t think he would have come if his brother Claye hadn’t have told him it’s a good place to play your footy.
“That’s a gigantic tick for Leppa, the football department and the club as a whole.’’
Matthews said Swann was also delivering on his promise to return the swagger back to the Gabba.
“It’s very difficult to come from outside the football industry and develop credibility. Greg has been a very successful CEO at two of the big Melbourne clubs so he’s got legitimate credibility in the industry,’’ he said.
“He is also a big help to the footy department because he knows footy clubs. He saw how Carlton and Collingwood operated and that experience is always helpful.’’
Matthews is loath to predict how many games Brisbane will win in 2015.
“I never had it (a number of wins) in my head when I coached. It’s even more stupid to have one when you are a board member. It’s not how I look at football,’’ he said.
“Like any club, you are always hoping to improve on the year before. We won seven games last year. That’s our base and everyone is working towards better times ahead.
“I think our future is better than our more recent past so there is reason to be optimistic.’’
Matthews said the trio of young forwards Michael Close, Daniel McStay and Jono Freeman were showing enough flashes of promise to suggest they would be serviceable avenues to goal in the future.
But the four-time premiership coach preached patience with their development as key targets.
“What you want from young players like them is enough glimpses,’’ Matthews said.
“You’d love them to come into senior footy and dominate straight away like Jonathan Brown and Nick Riewoldt.
“But mostly what you get from young key forwards is glimpses.
“As they mature, those glimpses start becoming more regular involvement and more regular contributions.
“They take time. It’s as simple as that.’’
Brisbane will complete their pre-season schedule when they take on the Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium this Friday ahead of the Round 1 blockbuster against Collingwood at the Gabba on April 4.
