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]
Biography [edit]
First grade career [edit]
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 victory over Balmain in 1989. In the post season he travelled with the Raiders to England for the 1989 World Club Challenge which was lost to Widnes.
Lazarus played in the Raiders' victory over the Penrith in the 1990 NSWRL season's grand final. 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 lead the Melbourne Storm at prop forward in their 1999 NRL Grand Final victory. 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 [edit]
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.[citation needed] It is widely recognised that Lazarus is one of the best props of the modern era.
Post playing [edit]
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.
In 2013, Lazarus was selected to head the Palmer United Party (PUP) ticket in Queensland at the 2013 Australian Federal Election.
References [edit]
External links [edit]
