Glenn Lazarus

Glenn Lazarus
Lazarus in 2007
Personal information
Full name Glenn Patrick Lazarus
Nickname The brick with eyes[1]
Born 11 December 1965 (1965-12-11) (age 46)
Queanbeyan, Australia
Playing information
Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 115 kg (18 st 2 lb)
Position Prop
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1987–91 Canberra Raiders 92 10 0 0 40
1992–97 Brisbane Broncos 118 9 0 0 36
1998–99 Melbourne Storm 44 2 1 0 10
Total 254 21 1 0 86
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1989–99 New South Wales 19 2 0 0 8
1997 New South Wales (SL) 3 0 0 0 0
1990–99 Australia 20 1 0 0 4
1997 Australia (SL) 1 0 0 0 0
Source: NRL Stats

Glenn Patrick Lazarus (born on 11 December 1965 in Queanbeyan, New South Wales) is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. He primarily played at prop forward, representing Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin. Lazarus played in premiership-winning teams for three different clubs during his career: the Canberra Raiders, Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm. Also known as 'the brick with eyes', he was, at his peak, widely-regarded as the best front-row forward in the game - a sentiment shared by current NSW State of Origin coach Ricky Stuart who labelled him "the best front-rower ever to play the game of rugby league."[2] His nephew Blake Lazarus plays for the Wests Tigers in the NRL.[3]

Contents

Biography

First grade career

Of Greek descent,[4] Lazarus began his first grade career with the Canberra Raiders in 1987, and although he would be overlooked for a spot in the Raiders' losing grand final side against Manly that year, he would go on to play a starring role in the club's premiership victories over Balmain in 1989 and Penrith in 1990. At the end of the 1990 NSWRL season, he went on the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France. He also played for Canberra in their grand final loss to Penrith in 1991.

In the summer before preceding the 1992 season, Lazarus was recruited from Canberra by his former coach at the Raiders, Wayne Bennett[5] and joined the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he would play the largest portion of his career. He won two more premierships with them in 1992 and 1993 (both against the St. George Dragons). This constituted a remarkable feat of playing in consecutive grand finals for five seasons.[6] In the weeks following the 1992 grand final Lazarus travelled with the Broncos to England, where he played at prop forward in the 1992 World Club Challenge against British champions Wigan, helping Brisbane become the first NSWRL club to win the match in Britain. During the 1994 NSWRL season, Lazarus played at prop forward for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan for the 1994 World Club Challenge and lost. It was only a broken leg suffered during a 1997 World Club Championship match that prevented Lazarus from also playing in that year's premiership-winning Brisbane side as well.

After not being retained by Brisbane, Lazarus was recruited to the newly established Melbourne Storm by his former CEO (John Ribot) and teammate (Chris Johns) from the Broncos, both then working in the Storm's administration, for the National Rugby League's inaugural season in 1998. He was named as the club's first captain and was also given a newspaper column to write in The Herald Sun.[7] He went on to win another premiership with the Storm in 1999. Lazarus announced his retirement from the game with five premierships for three different clubs (Canberra 1989–90, Brisbane 1992–93 and Melbourne 1999), a truly unique achievement.

Representative career

Lazarus played 19 matches for New South Wales in State of Origin between 1989 and 1999, scoring two tries. He is the equal ninth most capped New South Wales player (with Benny Elias and Michael O'Connor) and, at the time of his retirement, was second only to Paul Harragon as the most capped New South Wales forward in Origin history.[8] He was known for his powerful, relentless charges and in his prime was the first prop chosen for any NSW State of Origin side.

He was selected for the 1990 and 1994 Kangaroo tours, although his appearances in the latter tour were restricted due to injuries. During the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, he helped Australia retain The Ashes.

Opposing Great Britain and New Zealand sides, when quizzed, frequently regard Glenn Lazarus as unmatched as a forward. It is widely recognised that Lazarus is one of the best props of the modern era.

Post playing

In 2000, Lazarus was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league.[9] In 2005, the western grandstand of Olympic Park Stadium was named the Glenn Lazarus stand in his honour.[10] Lazarus spent time on the Brisbane Broncos coaching staff until a major cleanout by head coach Wayne Bennett at the end of 2005 saw him removed.[11]

During the 2007 season at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them to date which included Lazarus.[12]

For the Storm's tenth year, Lazarus was named captain of the decade.

In February 2008, Lazarus was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.[13] Lazarus has been 612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast rugby league tipster since 2008. In 2008 New South Wales announced their rugby league team of the century, naming Lazarus at prop.[14]

At the end of the 2008 Queensland Cup season, Lazarus, who served as assistant coach at the Ipswich Jets club under the departing Kevin Walters was named as head coach of the club from the 2009 season. In 2010, Glenn stepped down from the role to pursue business interests.

References

  1. ^ Tyson Otto and Brent Zerafa (2010-04-14). "Blake Lazarus to debut at halfback for Wests Tigers". The Daily Telegraph (Australia: Herald and Weekly Times). http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/blake-lazarus-to-debut-at-halfback-for-wests-tigers/story-e6frfgbo-1225853383045. Retrieved 2010-04-13. 
  2. ^ http://www.sportal.com.au/league-news-display/stuart-gallen-a-great-126491
  3. ^ "Young Blake Lazarus nothing like uncle Glenn". Daily Telegraph. 2008-11-30. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/young-lazarus-nothing-like-uncle-glenn/story-e6frfgg6-1111118177453. Retrieved 2010-04-14. 
  4. ^ http://www.brisbaneishome.com/brisbane-festivals-paniyiri-greek-dancing-with-the-stars-video-and-paniyiri-continues-sunday/
  5. ^ Harms, John (2005). The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story. Australia: University of Queensland Press. pp. 113. ISBN 0702235369, 9780702235368. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OFE2EZ7JyEkC&source=gbs_navlinks_s. 
  6. ^ Pramberg, Bernie (2006-09-26). "Broncos beat critics". The Courier-Mail (Australia: Queensland Newspapers). http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,20480464-10389,00.html. Retrieved 2009-12-12. 
  7. ^ Cockerill, Ian (1999-10-03). "Eye of the Storm". The Sunday Age: pp. 4. http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&docID=news991004_0014_7918. Retrieved 2009-10-06. 
  8. ^ "Glenn Lazarus' State of Origin caps and points listing". Rugby League Tables. http://stats.rleague.com/rl/soo/nsw.html. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  9. ^ "Glenn Lazarus". Australian Honours Database. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=972401&search_type=quick&showInd=true. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  10. ^ Woods, Melissa (2005-04-02). "Nikau stands tall as the Storm rages". AAP (The Age). http://www.theage.com.au/news/League/Nikau-stands-tall-as-the-Storm-rages/2005/04/01/1112302236341.html. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  11. ^ Dick, Barry (2006-10-01). "Special day for Benny". The Courier-Mail (Queensland Newspapers). http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,20509237-5003409,00.html. Retrieved 2009-12-17. 
  12. ^ Dekroo, Karl (2007-05-09). "Still the king". The Courier-Mail (Australia: Queensland Newspapers). http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21701434-10389,00.html. Retrieved 2009-12-08. 
  13. ^ "Centenary of Rugby League – The Players". NRL & ARL. 2008-02-23. http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true. Retrieved 2008-02-23. 
  14. ^ ARL (2008). "Australian Rugby Football League 2008 Annual Report" (pdf). Australian Rugby Football League Limited. p. 30. http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/files/11726_ARL_Annrep_1.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-19. 

External links