Kingborough Lions United FC appoints Matthew Hess as NPL Head Coach
Kingborough Lions United Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Hess as Head Coach of its National Premier Leagues (NPL) Men’s team, leading the Club’s NPL High Performance Men’s Program for the 2027 season.
Hess returns to Lightwood Park after a season away, having previously served the Club as NPL Men’s Assistant Coach and Youth Technical Director, and before that as Head Coach of the Club’s NPL U21 and U18 sides between 2022 and 2025. He holds a Football Australia/AFC B Diploma, is completing his A Diploma, and is studying a Bachelor of Football at the Australian College of Physical Education. He is currently coaching within Football Tasmania Academy, involved with youth State team coaching, and was assistant coach to Tasmania’s men’s side in this year’s State of Origin match against Western Australia. In 2026 he was player-coach of Taroona FC’s men’s first team.
The appointment follows a competitive process that drew more than twenty applications from Australia and overseas, and comes off the back of a 2026 season in which the Lions won the Lakoseljac Cup for the first time, reached the Australia Cup round of 32 and challenged for the NPL Tasmania title.
Club President Brian Downes said the appointment reflected the Club’s long-term approach to its men’s high performance program.
“Matt knows this club, its players and the standards we’ve set over the past few seasons, and he’s played a part in building them. He impressed the panel with a clear football identity that aligns with the Club’s football plan, a genuine commitment to developing local players through our pathway, and a maturity coming into the role. We’re appointing him on a multi-year basis because we believe in building something sustainable, and the whole club will be behind him.”
Hess said he was excited to lead a program he has watched grow from the inside.
“This club represents a community, and that means a lot to me. I’ve coached many of these players as juniors and in the NPL21s, and know the potential of this group having worked with Jon Fenech as NPL Assistant in 2025 . My job is to build on that – with a clear way of playing, high standards that the players own, and a real pathway for the next generation of Kingborough players into the NPL side. I can’t wait to get started.”
Hess will begin pre-season planning immediately, with the NPL squad returning to training in November. The Club thanks all candidates who applied for the role.
Enquiries: npl@klufc.org.au
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