Full name Nigel Lappin Height 1.88 m Height/Weight 188cm / 87kg Weight 87 kg | Years Club Date joined 1994 Name Nigel Lappin | |
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Date of birth (1976-06-21) 21 June 1976 (age 39) Place of birth Corowa, New South Wales Draft #2, 1993 National Draft, Brisbane Bears Role Australian Rules Footballer Team coached Geelong Football Club (Assistant Coach, since 2009) Similar People Chris Scott, Blake Caracella, Matthew Knights, Max Rooke, James Rahilly | ||
Original team Chiltern Football Club | ||
Hall of fame inductee nigel lappin
Nigel Lappin (born 21 June 1976) is a former professional Australian rules footballer. Lappin is currently serving as an assistant coach with the Geelong Football Club.
Contents
- Hall of fame inductee nigel lappin
- Nigel lappin trophy mitch robinson
- Playing career
- Retirement
- Career highlights
- References
Nigel lappin trophy mitch robinson
Playing career
Lappin was born in the locally based regional hospital at Corowa, New South Wales and grew up in Chiltern, Victoria. He was drafted to play for the Brisbane Bears in the Australian Football League in 1993, playing his first AFL game the following year. In 1997 he was a member of the inaugural Brisbane Lions team following the Bears merger with Fitzroy.
A long, accurate kick, capable of running as a play maker throughout the whole match, he was recognised as a member of the group of players known as the "Fab Four", a group of highly skilled midfield players considered to be one of the major driving forces behind the Lions successive Australian Football League premierships in 2001, 2002 and 2003. An example of his courage was the 2003 Grand Final win, in which he played the whole match with a broken rib.
Lappin represented Australia in International Rules in 2001.
In 2004 he achieved a personal milestone in winning his first Merrett-Murray Medal. However his 2005 season ended prematurely when he broke his right ankle late in the season. Weeks into his comeback, the ankle was re-injured in a 2006 pre-season practice match, forcing him to miss the entire 2006 season.
Following the retirement of longtime captain Michael Voss at the end of 2006, Lappin was appointed co-captain of the club alongside Simon Black, Luke Power, Jonathan Brown, and Chris Johnson on 20 March 2007.
His cousin Matthew Lappin also played AFL football for Carlton and St. Kilda.
Retirement
On 19 August 2008, Nigel Lappin announced his retirement from professional football. After only being able to play 4 games in the 2008 season due to an Achilles tendon problem, Nigel decided it was time to draw a close on his career. "I'm really disappointed this season hasn't worked out for me," Lappin said at a Gabba press conference. "Every footballer wants the fairytale ending. It's hard to walk away from something that's been a really big part of your life, but I've got a family that will care for me."
In October 2008, Lappin joined the Geelong Football Club as an assistant coach. In 2016 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
Career highlights
Teal Cup
Brisbane Bears/Lions