In 1992, he played in the newly established VSFL Under-18 competition (later known as the TAC Cup) with Southern Stingrays, where he was runner-up for the Morrish Medal,[1] and caught the attention of Brisbane Bears talent scouts.

His breakout season was in 1999 under new coach Leigh Matthews, when he won the Brisbane Best and Fairest award, was selected as All-Australian for the first time[2] and represented Australia in International Rules.

Under Matthews, Leppitsch became a key component of the Lions spine, playing centre half back in the club's three premiership sides from 2001 to 2003 and earned All-Australian status three times.

In the 2016 season, The Lions under Leppitsch, finished seventeenth (second-last) on the ladder again for the second straight year in a row, this time with three wins and nineteen losses.

[26] Fagan subsequently led the club to a Grand Final in 2023, which they lost to Collingwood, where Leppitsch is now an assistant coach.

[32][33][34] Leppitsch again experienced premiership success as an assistant coach in 2023, when Collingwood defeated his old club the Brisbane Lions by four points in the Grand Final.