Just 24 hours after taking his first official training session, Leppitsch and the entire Lions playing group boarded a flight on Wednesday morning bound for the US.
In the past two years a select group of senior players have headed to the Arizona training camp, but Lepptisch was quick to request permission for his entire squad to make the journey after his appointment in late September.
The rookie coach has walked into a club that lost five young players during the Gillette AFL Trade Period, and said with a number of new playing and coaching staff appointments, the club needed more time to bond.
Staker, McGuane sign on
"One thing we really want to build as a club is togetherness this year, and it's critical that we do it," Leppitsch said.
"Having everyone together for this trip is going to be great for our bonding, not just for the players that know each other but the new players and new coaching staff.
"Our club has more than 80 per cent of people from interstate, so probably more than any other club we need to continue that and put more effort into that and this is just one step in that process."
The Lions have investigated why Billy Longer, Sam Docherty, Elliot Yeo, Jared Polec and Patrick Karnezis all wanted out, but Leppitsch was hesitant to elaborate.
He said there were a number of reasons, including homesickness and a lack of opportunity at senior level.
"Every club tends to lose one or two players every year. This year was unusually high with five, but we're hoping it's just a blip.
"We've met about it, we've managed it. We're not going to talk too much about the details but it's something we definitely have addressed and hoping we've fixed and (can) retain our players (in the future).
"The important part is we get the underbelly right and get our systems and processes right. You can often just play on emotion the first 12 months. Our biggest job is going to be to put those in."
"One thing we really want to build as a club is togetherness this year, and it's critical that we do it," Leppitsch said.
"Having everyone together for this trip is going to be great for our bonding, not just for the players that know each other but the new players and new coaching staff.
"Our club has more than 80 per cent of people from interstate, so probably more than any other club we need to continue that and put more effort into that and this is just one step in that process."
The Lions have investigated why Billy Longer, Sam Docherty, Elliot Yeo, Jared Polec and Patrick Karnezis all wanted out, but Leppitsch was hesitant to elaborate.
He said there were a number of reasons, including homesickness and a lack of opportunity at senior level.
"Every club tends to lose one or two players every year. This year was unusually high with five, but we're hoping it's just a blip.
"We've met about it, we've managed it. We're not going to talk too much about the details but it's something we definitely have addressed and hoping we've fixed and (can) retain our players (in the future).
"The important part is we get the underbelly right and get our systems and processes right. You can often just play on emotion the first 12 months. Our biggest job is going to be to put those in."
Jackson Paine's forward thinking
One new coaching member on the flight was recently retired Brownlow medallist Simon Black, who will work with the forwards next season in an assistant coach's role.
Despite having offers from numerous clubs, Black said he was excited to start his coaching career at the club for which he played 322 matches.
"At some stage if you're going to go down the coaching path you've got to get experience outside the club you played at, that's a given, but I'm really excited by Leppa coming on-board," Black said.
"He'll have some fresh, new ideas and I'll learn a lot from him.
"Initially it's a matter of dipping my toes in the water and seeing whether I'm suited to coaching and get a feel for it first and go from there."
One new coaching member on the flight was recently retired Brownlow medallist Simon Black, who will work with the forwards next season in an assistant coach's role.
Despite having offers from numerous clubs, Black said he was excited to start his coaching career at the club for which he played 322 matches.
"At some stage if you're going to go down the coaching path you've got to get experience outside the club you played at, that's a given, but I'm really excited by Leppa coming on-board," Black said.
"He'll have some fresh, new ideas and I'll learn a lot from him.
"Initially it's a matter of dipping my toes in the water and seeing whether I'm suited to coaching and get a feel for it first and go from there."
