Zane Littlejohn

Zane Littlejohn
Littlejohn coaching Box Hill in 2025
Personal information
Full name Zane Patrick Littlejohn
Born (1986-08-25) 25 August 1986 (age 40)
Launceston, Tasmania
Playing career
Years Club Games (Goals)
2002–2007 Latrobe 78
2008–2010 North Launceston 50
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
2012–2016 North Launceston 100 (60–40–0)
2023–2025 Box Hill 61 (42–19–0)
Career highlights

Zane Patrick Littlejohn (born 25 August 1986) is an Australian rules football coach and former player who currently serves as an assistant coach at the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously served as the head coach of North Launceston in the Tasmanian State League (TSL) and the Box Hill Hawks in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Career

Littlejohn made his debut for Latrobe Football Club's under-18s team when he was 14 years old. He played his first Northern Tasmanian Football League (NTFL) reserves match on his 15th birthday and made his senior NTFL debut in 2002. He also played cricket while in high school, representing Tasmania at an under-15s level and playing for the Sheffield Cricket Club, where he was a right-handed batsman and right-arm medium fast bowler.

In 2007, Littlejohn played for the Tasmanian Devils in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Ahead of the 2008 season, he left Latrobe after 78 senior matches at the club due to travel commitments, joining the North Launceston Football Club. He remained at North Launceston when the club entered the newly reformed Tasmanian State League (TSL) in 2009. While still playing senior football, Littlejohn became the coach of North Launceston's under-18s team in 2010, leading the side to a grand final victory over Clarence. He retired from playing at the age of 24 and continued coaching North Launceston's under-18s (Colts) team in 2011.

North Launceston appointed Littlejohn as the club's senior men's coach in 2012. After finishing eighth on the ladder for two seasons in a row, he led the club to grand final victories over the Western Storm and Glenorchy in 2014 and 2015 respectively. North Launceston also reached the 2016 grand final under Littlejohn, but were defeated by Glenorchy by 20 points. In late 2016, he moved to Queensland to join the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL) as a development coach, working with the forward line. He served as the head coach of the Brisbane Lions Academy during the 2022 season.

On 14 October 2022, Littlejohn was appointed by the Hawthorn Football Club as a development coach, which also saw him become the senior coach of Hawthorn's reserves affiliate – the Box Hill Hawks – in the VFL. In his first season as coach, Box Hill reached the preliminary final but were defeated by Gold Coast at Heritage Bank Stadium. Littlejohn was appointed as the VFL's coach for an interstate representative match against the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) in April 2024, which the VFL lost by fourteen points. Box Hill finished sixth in the 2024 season and were eliminated from the finals series by Williamstown.

Littlejohn was re-appointed as the VFL's representative coach in 2025, leading the side to its first victory over the SANFL since 2002 with an eleven-point win at Tanunda Recreation Park. Box Hill finished second on the ladder but were defeated in the preliminary final by Footscray by 31 points. At the end of the season, Littlejohn left Hawthorn and Box Hill to join the North Melbourne Football Club as an assistant coach, working in the area of strategy.

Statistics

Coaching statistics

Legend
 W  Wins  L  Losses  D  Draws  W%  Winning percentage  LP  Ladder position  LT  League teams
Season Team League Games W L D W % Ladder
2010 North Launceston TSL U19s 21156071.4%1 / 10
2011
2012 North Launceston TSL 18612033.3%8 / 10
2013 18612033.3%8 / 10
2014 21165076.2%3 / 10
2015 22166072.7%3 / 10
2016 21165076.2%3 / 10
2022 Brisbane Lions Academy NLB 312033.3%—
2023 Box Hill VFL 21156071.4%3 / 21
2024 19127063.2%6 / 21
2025 21156071.4%2 / 21

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Zane Littlejohn". Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 2 November 2026. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Whiteley, Cameron (19 September 2014). "Littlejohn steps up on the biggest stage". The Advocate. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Fielding, Josie (20 January 2020). "The Lions' Tasmanian influence". Brisbane Lions. Archived from the original on 2 November 2026. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  4. 1 2 Bresnehan, James (19 September 2016). "Littlejohn sad to farewell North Launceston as Lions call". The Mercury. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  5. ↑ Mace, Josi'ah (11 November 2016). "Be efficient and play your role". Brisbane Lions. Archived from the original on 2 November 2026. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  6. ↑ "Lions Academy Headlines 2022 National Academy". Brisbane Lions. 10 December 2021. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Hawthorn appoints Littlejohn in dual coaching role". Hawthorn Football Club. 14 October 2022. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  8. ↑ "Littlejohn To Lead Hawks". Box Hill Hawks. 2 November 2022. Archived from the original on 17 May 2026. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  9. ↑ "Gold Coast Suns, Werribee to meet in 2023 Smithy's VFL Grand Final". AFL.com.au. 18 September 2023. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  10. ↑ Rhodes, Brendan (27 November 2023). "2023 Smithy's VFL Review – Box Hill Hawks". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 April 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  11. ↑ "Littlejohn to coach Smithy's VFL rep team". AFL.com.au. 23 February 2024. Archived from the original on 25 January 2026. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  12. ↑ "VFL fall to SANFL in representative return". AFL.com.au. 7 April 2024. Archived from the original on 26 July 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  13. ↑ Peter-Budge, Sean (2 September 2024). "VFL match report: Gulls draw curtain on Hawks' season". Hawthorn Football Club. Archived from the original on 13 September 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  14. ↑ Rhodes, Brendan (12 December 2024). "2024 Smithy's VFL Season Review – Box Hill Hawks". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 May 2026. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  15. ↑ "Littlejohn reappointed Smithy's VFL State Team coach". AFL.com.au. 27 February 2025. Archived from the original on 12 October 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  16. ↑ Bastiani, Gemma (12 April 2025). "VFL breaks SANFL drought in thriller". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 March 2026. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  17. ↑ "VFL match report: Footscray secure Grand Final spot". Western Bulldogs. 13 September 2025. Archived from the original on 8 October 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  18. ↑ Sacco, Nicholas (14 September 2025). "REVIEW: Smithy's VFL Preliminary Finals". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  19. ↑ "North Melbourne announces football department changes". North Melbourne Football Club. 25 September 2025. Archived from the original on 14 May 2026. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
  20. ↑ Cellini, Aidan (25 September 2025). "North Melbourne's major shake-up of football department as club lands star VFL coach". Zero Hanger. Archived from the original on 7 October 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2026.