Matthew Lappin (born 17 February 1976) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the St Kilda Football Club and the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Matthew Lappin
Personal information
Full name Matthew Lappin
Nickname(s) Skinny
Date of birth (1976-02-17) 17 February 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth Australia
Original team(s) Chiltern, Wangaratta
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 77 kg (170 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1994–1998 St Kilda 055 0(26)
1999–2007 Carlton 196 (221)
Total 251 (247)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2007.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Lappin played in Chiltern's losing 1992 and 1993 O&KFL senior football grand final sides,[1] alongside his cousin, Nigel Lappin, prior to being picked up at number 40 by St. Kilda in the 1993 AFL Draft. Debuting with St Kilda in 1994, Lappin was known as a half-back flanker.[citation needed]

Lappin played in 17 of 22 matches in the 1997 season home and away rounds in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the 1997 Finals Series, winning the club's 2nd minor premiership and 1st McClelland Trophy.[2]

At the end of the 1998 season, Lappin moved to Carlton, where in the first quarter of the club's round 1 match against Essendon he took a specky on the goal-line which would go on to win the Mark of the Year for 1999.[3]

Throughout his playing career, Lappin was recognised on the field due to his lightly built frame, for which he attracted the nickname "Skinny".[4]

Following his retirement from playing, Lappin remained with Carlton as an assistant coach, as well as acting as a playing assistant coach with the Northern Bullants (as a VFL- listed player). He served as Carlton's forward line coach from 2008 until 2010. In 2011, he shifted into an assistant coaching role at Collingwood.[5]

On August 22, 2015, Lappin played for the Gold Coast Suns reserves team as a result of the team's player shortages due to injuries.[6]

He then served as an AFL coach for the JLC at Hillcrest Christian College Queensland.

Lappin has since been signed on as the Southport Sharks QAFLW head coach for the 2025 season.

Statistics[7]

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Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
1994 St Kilda 37 9 1 1 78 36 114 23 9 0.11 0.11 8.67 4 12.67 2.56 1
1995 St Kilda 22 3 0 0 23 14 37 7 3 0 0 7.67 4.67 12.33 2.33 1
1996 St Kilda 22 7 0 0 60 51 111 28 9 0 0 8.57 7.29 15.86 4 1.29
1997 St Kilda 22 20 20 19 154 135 289 57 35 1 0.95 7.7 6.75 14.45 2.85 1.75
1998 St Kilda 22 20 20 19 154 135 289 57 35 1 0.95 7.7 6.75 14.45 2.85 1.75
1999 Carlton 12 25 33 21 246 149 395 115 25 1.32 0.84 9.84 5.96 15.8 4.6 1
2000 Carlton 12 24 33 21 280 145 425 114 44 1.38 0.88 11.67 6.04 17.71 4.75 1.83
2001 Carlton 12 23 49 33 301 139 440 128 37 2.13 1.43 13.09 6.04 19.13 5.57 1.61
2002 Carlton 12 21 22 20 207 120 327 77 32 1.05 0.95 9.86 5.71 15.57 3.67 1.52
2003 Carlton 12 22 10 3 284 119 403 103 47 0.45 0.14 12.91 5.41 18.32 4.68 2.14
2004 Carlton 12 22 23 7 323 122 445 114 42 1.05 0.32 14.68 5.55 20.23 5.18 1.91
2005 Carlton 12 22 25 14 239 132 371 104 45 1.14 0.64 10.86 6 16.86 4.73 2.05
2006 Carlton 12 19 5 9 253 134 387 116 38 0.26 0.47 13.32 7.05 20.37 6.11 2
2007 Carlton 12 18 21 12 162 95 257 92 25 1.17 0.67 9 5.28 14.28 5.11 1.39
Career 251 247 167 2715 1472 4187 1121 414 0.95 0.65 10.31 5.77 16.09 4.20 1.57

Personal life

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Lappin's first daughter Olivia was born on December 4, 1998.[8]

He is the cousin of Nigel Lappin, who played for the Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions.

References

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  1. ^ "Ovens & King FNL Album". Flickr. Wangaratta Chronicle newspaper. 18 September 1992. p. 42. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  2. ^ "1997 Season Scores and Results – Ladder". AFL Tables. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  3. ^ Callum Chambers (30 January 2017). "The Best AFL Marks of All-Time That Left Us Gobsmacked". Travel & Sports. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Matthew Lappin Profile". Blueseum. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  5. ^ Herald Sun, "Magpies sign up Matthew Lappin and Craig McRae", 12 October 2010, Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  6. ^ "Skinny Lappin to the rescue". goldcoastfc.com.au. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  7. ^ "AFL Tables - Matthew Lappin - Stats - Statistics". afltables.com. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  8. ^ Planet Blue, Fox Footy Channel, 2003.
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