“Outstanding get”: Hinkley gushes over new Devil

Ken Hinkley was over the moon after the Tasmania Devils secured Nigel Lappin.

The Devils have picked up an “important piece” of the puzzle by luring the renowned Geelong development coach ahead of their 2028 AFL inception.

Senior coach Hinkley spoke of the major coup the fledgling club has pulled off given Lappin’s track record with development over a lengthy stint at the Cats.

“He’s an outstanding get for our footy club,” Hinkley said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“For the Devils to be able to get Nigel to come along and help, I think it’s really critical.

“My experiences over my journey and back through the Gold Coast days, one of the key things was we had to get development right.

“When you’ve got a club in a state with great history, we’ve now got to make sure that the development of that football talent down there and the talent we get through the concessions is maximised.

“Not every one of them will be absolutely a hit out of the park, so to get someone of Nigel’s quality to come down…”

Hinkley believes we will one day look back fondly on what three-time Brisbane Lions premiership star Lappin has achieved at the Devils.

“I think our timing was right. The opportunity and challenge that Nigel was looking for was an exciting one,” he added.

“He’s been such a great person for Geelong and they will be forever grateful for what Nigel has done for them.

“We’re just so excited at the Devils that we’ve been able to get a really important piece to be a part of the journey that we’re going on.

“Nigel is now going to play a massive part. Some time in the future we’re going to look back at what Nigel Lappin was able to bring to the Devils and hopefully that’s a lot of positive things and great players.”

Lappin, 50, will finish up with the Cats after 18 years at the culmination of the 2026 season.

SEN's Sam Edmund first reported the possibility of Tasmania luring Lappin last week.

“I’m led to believe that their Head of Development is the next appointment they are prioritising, above the Head of Football, which might surprise a few people,” Edmund said on SEN’s Locked In last Thursday.

“Head of Development is going to be absolutely massive for this club. I think we know who they want it to be, and that’s Nigel Lappin.

“Ken Hinkley wants it to be Nigel. He nearly left for Carlton last year, and they through the kitchen sink at Nigel and he was going to go… until he wasn’t.

“Nigel has always stayed, for a long period of time at the Cats. He is loyal, he’s got a great working relationship with the coach there, Chris Scott.

“He has been wooed multiple times – not just this time - by the Devils.

“That’s who they want. Whether they can get is a whole other thing, but everyone you speak to says that he is - if not the best - right at the pointy end of it, Nigel Lappin.

“With all those kids about to enter a foreign environment largely, that appointment couldn’t be overstated in terms of its importance.”