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So at the end of this year at least a ninth and maybe a tenth Immortal will be named as one of the all-time greats of rugby league.
If you believe media reports Darren Lockyer is guaranteed one of those positions. No one could argue that. Some would suggest he didn’t have quite the individual brilliance of Andrew Johns (I’m not so sure) but when it comes to longevity and leadership Lockyer leaves the eighth in the shade. He is well deserving of the Immortal tag and it’s a matter of when, not if, he is named.
If there is a second player the names Norm Provan and Mal Meninga have been thrown around and both would be more than deserving.
However there is a name that no one mentions who would also be worthy of the Immortal tag. Particularly if they intend to announce a new Immortal every five years and players have to be retired for five years – then we will be at least ten years away from the options of Thurston and Smith.
The player is Glenn Lazarus. Now before you shoot me down, hear me out. In my opinion Glenn Lazarus is the greatest forward I have seen play the game. Now only being in my mid 30s, that extends from the late 80s until today.
Lazarus was a big man, with a huge motor and exceptional mobility. His ability to use his power to bend back the defence and then use his mobility to get a lightning quick play the ball, made Daley and Stuart, Langer and Walters, Kimmorley and company even better players than they already were. His record speaks for itself.
Let’s start in clubland. Lazarus played 13 seasons for Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne. In all the games he played The Brick with Eyes has an astonishing 70 per cent win record. I don’t know another player with even close to a record like that at even one club let alone three.
In each of Lazarus’ seasons in first grade his club played finals football. That is remarkable. The only season Lazarus didn’t feature in the finals was in the Super League year of 1997 when injury ended his career with Brisbane early.
Lazarus’ record in finals footy is even better at a 71 per cent win rate. He played 28 finals matches and his team’s record was 20 wins and 8 losses. Lazarus played in six grand finals for five premierships, including five straight grand finals from ’89 to ’93.
At Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne he was the starting prop for each club’s first ever premiership. In my view they don’t win those premierships (particularly Brisbane and Melbourne, and probably Canberra) without him. He is a winner who sets the highest standard at his clubs and expects nothing less.
And he’s not afraid of a challenge. He was the premier prop at Canberra but took on the pressure of leading Brisbane (who had underachieved until this point) to their first premiership. A New South Welshman coming to Brisbane to lead them to a Premiership, and Queenslanders fell in love with him.
He moved to Melbourne at 1998 after a bad injury in ’97 to a club no one expected to win a premiership or create a winning culture. But he did. In clubland this man was exceptional.
Moving onto to his Rep record and Lazarus played 19 Origins for NSW (plus three Super League NSW appearances) and was capped 22 times for his country.
Lazarus was one of the key players in NSW’s first extended period of Origin dominance. He played a handful of games of the bench for the Blues from ’89 to ’91 as Queensland’s dominance was in its last days.
Then from 1992 – 1996 (barring ’95 when Super League players weren’t eligible) he started every game at prop for the Blues. They won all four of those series he played in and actually only lost three games in that period.
While there were many great players in those Origin teams from ’92 to ’96 he and Laurie Daley were the two key cornerstones to the NSW period of dominance. Add in his 1997 Super League appearances for the Blues (you can only play who is in front of you) and he had a six-year period where he was the key forward in NSW dominance.
Lazarus also had an 80 per cent winning rate for Australia (which most players do) and he was a part of our 1992 World Cup winning team.
Forwards are often under-represented in the best ever categories and there is no doubt some of the greats of our game (Daley, Stuart, Walters, Langer) were better players for having Lazo up front paving the way for them.
Lazarus is easily the standout forward of the last 30 years and more than worthy of being awarded Immortal status.
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