BRISBANE has sacked senior coach Justin Leppitsch.

The players were informed of the club’s decision via a message from football boss Matthew Francis at 12.40pm on Monday.

“The club’s board came to the decision today after a thorough review of the team’s performance and the factors influencing continued poor results,” the text message said.

”He gave a number of reasons why the team’s results have not reached the levels that we all expect, as well as outlining where he saw the team going in coming years.”

Finals Week 1

Members of Brisbane’s board met at the Gabba — and via teleconference — on Monday morning to discuss Leppitsch’s future.

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Justin Leppitsch in one of his last press conferences. Pic Darren England. Source: News Corp Australia

After the board meeting, Lions chairman Bob Sharpless rang Leppitsch to inform him of the decision, with Leppitsch opting not to join the chairman and chief executive at the official press conference on Monday.

“I thanked him for his time at the club,” Sharpless said.

“We extended his contract at the start of this year because we believed we were heading in the right direction, but this season has not panned out the way we expected to.”

In a statement, Leppitsch’s management asked for privacy and said he would be making further comment later in the week.

“Following the decision today by the Brisbane Lions Football Club to release senior coach, Justin Leppitsch, from his contract, TLA Australia would like to advise that Justin will spend

the coming days taking some time to gather his thoughts and consider his next steps,” the statement read.

Leppitsch has led the Lions to just 14 wins from three seasons, with the club finishing 15th (7-15, 2014), 17th (4-18, 2015) and 17th (3-19, 2016) under his leadership.

The Lions conceded an average of 130.5 points per game this season — the most since GWS in 2013. Four of the top six highest scores this year have come against Leppitsch’s men.

“This season just has not turned out the way we expected ... something is not right and we needed to do something about it,” Sharpless said.

Brisbane will now commence its search for a new senior coach, with chief executive Greg Swann saying the club hadn’t spoken to any prospects yet but would put a panel together and provide a recommendation to the board.

“Ultimately we will just get the best coach there is. We don’t have a preconceived idea. Hopefully we’ll begin that search soon,” Swann said.

“It doesn’t matter where they come from. If they are the best candidate then they will get the job. That’s a given.

“We are definitely on a path with these young guys. We have some really exciting talent there ... We need to keep them.

“I think the building blocks are there. We just have to capitalise on them.”