Portland appoints Lochie Huppatz as coach for 2024 Hampden league season

Lochie Huppatz, who played his junior football for the club, was announced as the Tigers' new playing coach on Thursday night.

Huppatz, who featured in its elimination final win in 2022, moved to Queensland this year and is currently playing with QAFL side Broadbeach.

The midfielder, 25, will replace Jarrod Holt in the coaching role.

Huppatz told The Standard he was honoured to lead his home club.

"Just to be getting that first senior coaching role is really, really exciting and to do it in my home town where I was born and bred makes it that bit more special and that little bit more meaningful," he said.

"I have always enjoyed analysing the game a little bit more and it's something I got a little taste of last season back home - I was assistant coach then - so I definitely wanted to get that progression to move onto senior coaching.

"It probably came that little bit quicker than what I thought but I am really excited to embrace that challenge and doing it at home where I already have the respect of the group and I have good support networks as well in the footy world, it will hopefully make it more of an easier transition and hopefully we can see that little bit of success come with it."

Huppatz, who prides himself on structure and professionalism, spent his off-season playing for Nightcliff in the NTFL, describing playing in Darwin as a "bucket list" goal, before moving to Queensland.

He hopes his experience in different competitions will help him become a more-rounded coach.

"I guess I have always been interested how teams in different leagues will embrace a different brand of footy and I think being able to get exposure to different leagues I was able to absorb that little bit more in-depth analysis of football," Huppatz said.

Huppatz, who thanked president Troy Bannam and Ben Malcolm for having the faith to appoint him, said Holt had imparted invaluable knowledge.

"What Holty's done for the group in the past few years has been phenomenal," he said.

Bannam told The Standard Huppatz's commitment was a coup for the Hanlon Park-based club.

"He's excited to come onboard and we're excited to have him as coach for next year,' he said.

"The Huppatz name, for as long as the footy club has been around, I think there's been a Huppatz playing for us so it's a nice little chapter for the family as well."

Bannam said Huppatz would mesh well with the group's younger players and have mentors to help him settle into his first senior coaching role.

Huppatz has played high-level football in the Coates Talent League and Geelong league for Geelong West Giants in the past.

"We lost him pretty early, he went off and played Rebels footy and then a little bit of senior footy for us and then was away for a number of years and then we got him back last year," Bannam said.

Bannam said Huppatz was living on the Gold Coast and would return home to Portland for pre-season training.

"Lochie went off and played some footy in the Northern Territory and is currently in Queensland," he said.

Bannam praised outgoing mentor Holt, describing him as "a club legend".

"Jarrod has been a magnificent mentor for us and for the players and and awesome coach," he said.

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