QAFLW 2025: New Southport coach Matthew Lappin on his vision for women’s footy

A vision to revolutionise the way women’s footy is played and lead his daughter into her draft year has inspired 251-game AFL star Matthew Lappin into his newest coaching role.

Matthew Lappin will be at the helm of the Southport Sharks QAFLW side in 2025. Picture: Supplied.

A vision to revolutionise the way women’s Aussie rules is played is set to follow 251-game AFL man Matthew Lappin into his first foray into female footy coaching.

Following extensive playing stints with St Kilda and Carlton, ‘Skinny’ Lappin’s coaching career has encompassed shifts in the AFL programs of Carlton, Collingwood and St Kilda.

Now, he has taken over as the Southport Sharks head coach in the QAFLW after two years coaching Surfers Paradise on the men’s side of the competition.

“I think that the knock on women’s footy can be at times that it’s not as skilful and too congested and too slow,” Lappin said.

“I’ve got beliefs and philosophies on how the game should be played that I’m introducing to the group … my thing will be, let’s make it as an attacking game as possible.

“I want us to get the ball out in space more and run more and show a little bit more skill.

Before his two years at the helm of the Surfers Paradise QAFL side, Lappin spent five years as a Southport Sharks assistant coach in the NEAFL and VFL. Picture credit: TJ Yelds, NEAFL.

“It should mean we’ll score more, it might mean we get scored against more as well but I want to take the game out of the contest more and make it more enjoyable to watch and play and free-flowing.

“That’s the plan now we’ve got to put that to work and put it in place.”

Lappin has inherited a strong group, with Southport coming off the back of QAFLW premierships in both the seniors and reserves.

The club’s inaugural senior QAFLW flag was built off the back of a hard-nosed contested brand of footy under the outgoing Peter Doherty, who was named QAFLW coach of the year in 2024.

Lappin insisted that his attacking desire would be served with a side of pragmatism.

Matthew Lappin in a 2015 QAFL game for Labrador. The Tigers would win a historic premiership that year. Picture: Tim Marsden.

“You’re not going to expose yourself defensively,” he said.

“I’ve got to get a really good look at what players we’ve got on our list. I might come with a game plan that doesn’t suit our personnel and I’ll have to change my thoughts and beliefs a little but I think we’ll find a happy medium.”

Lappin said it was the appeal of female player’s thirst for knowledge that drew him to his new role.

“Everything I’ve heard about the women’s space is that they’re just so keen to learn and get better, they’re always at me to try and improve which I love,” he said.

“They either want to get on the field and do extra work or sit and talk footy and pick my brain.

“They haven’t played as much footy because the boys would start at the age of six and play every year.”

He will also join his daughter Sunny Lappin at Southport as the Suns Academy player with a lethal kick chases her AFLW dream. Next season will be her draft year.

“I’d try and sit with (Sunny) last year and show her some stuff but she wouldn’t listen, she’d say ‘you’re not my coach, you’re my dad’, now I am her dad and her coach so she has to listen,” Lappin laughed.

“I think it’ll be good for both of us, hopefully we see improvements in her game.

Sunny Lappin of the Suns handballs while being tackled in the Coates Talent League Girls match against Oakleigh Chargers. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images.

“It’s also a lot of girls she plays with, I notice a lot of things I can help them with and now I’ve got an opportunity to do that.”

He also left the door ajar on a possible return to coaching at the top flight of the game, particularly in the AFLW space if opportunities were to arise down the line.

“I’m interested to see where it can go … I’d never say no to anything in that space,” Lappin said.

“I’m keen to see what it’s like coaching in the female space, see if my message gets through and if I have the right skillsets to coach women.

“Let’s just see where it goes.”

Originally published as QAFLW 2025: New Southport coach Matthew Lappin on his vision for women’s footy