Gary Lazarus (1963 - 1970)

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http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/2359/garylazarus.jpg

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Footyinfo (http://footyinfo.net/player/display/10024)

Full name: Gary Lazarus
Born: September 21, 1945
Teams: Fitzroy 1963-70
Height: 188cm
Weight: 89kg
Debut: Fitzroy vs Carlton Round 1, Brunswick St, 20 April 1963

Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Lazarus)

Recruited from: Fitzroy thirds
Height: 188cm
Weight: 89kgs
Games: 132
Goals: 206

Gary Lazarus (born 21 September 1945) was a former Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the VFL during the 1960s.
Lazarus came to Fitzroy straight from the thirds, without playing a single reserves game. He was used by Fitzroy mainly as a key forward and in the ruck. On four occasions, 1963, 1965, 1966 and 1967 he topped Fitzroy's goalkicking. He kicked a career high 39 goals in the 1966 season.

Statistics:

afl tables (http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/G/Gary_Lazarus.html)

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Fitzroy Team of the Century nominees (http://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/toc_nominees.htm)

Gary Lazarus played 132 games for Fitzroy between 1963 and 1970. He kicked 206 goals in his career. In his debut season, as a 17-year-old, he led the Fitzroy goalkicking with 35 goals. He repeated the feat three other times between 1965 and 1967. He was also second in the Fitzroy goalkicking twice. As well as playing full forward, Lazarus played as a follower and in the back line. He later coached in Mount Gambier.

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/6669/garylazarus2.jpg

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1963 debut (http://stats.rleague.com/afl/seas/1963sr.html)

Round 1 (http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/games/1963/030619630420.html)
Fitzroy vs Carlton
17 years, 211 days

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Fitzroy's leading goal kickers (http://stats.rleague.com/afl/teams/fitzroy/leadinggk.html)

1963 Gary Lazarus 35
1964 Ralph Rogerson 27
1965 Gary Lazarus 32
1966 Gary Lazarus 39
1967 Gary Lazarus 35
1968 Doug Searl 31
1969 Doug Searl 68
1970 Alex Ruscuklic 49

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redandwhite (http://www.redandwhiteonline.com/forum/showthread.php/24794-Ben-Mathews-It-s-over/page9)

No, Gary Lazarus of Fitzroy fame. 132 games, 196 goals. An ungainly awkward looking forward who went from the thirds to the seniors without playing for the 2's. He wore irons on his legs as a child but made it through as a battler either in the ruck or in a key forward position.

Hence he had Lazarus like performances because of the fact that he actually made it to the top, a sub editors dream. From memory he always seemed to play with injuries.

So the legend goes "more comebacks than Gary Lazarus".

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East Gambier (http://mp3.news.com.au/hwt/cfpdf/Western%20Border%20FL/East%20&%20South%20Gambier.pdf)

Lazarus is arguably the greatest player to pull on an East Gambier jumper. A four-time leading goal kicker for Fitzroy before joining East Gambier, Lazarus took all before him in 1972 by winning the league's goal kicking award, the Western Border Medal, and being the premiership coach.

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/8195/garylazarus3.jpg

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Blast from the Past (http://www.lions.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/5085/newsid/121294/default.aspx)
11:02 AM Thu 18 Aug, 2011

During my time we didn’t enjoy a lot of on-field success. In my nine seasons at the Club, I think we finished in the bottom four every year. At one stage we went two and a half years without winning a game.

But there are a few games that stand out for me during my career. One was playing in front of the Queen against Richmond and the other was beating Footscray to win our first game in over two years. It was almost like we had won a Grand Final that day.

For four years I was the Club’s leading goal-kicker and one year I came third in Best & Fairest. With regards to my best individual performances, it was probably against North Melbourne when I kicked a career-best seven goals.

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/3928/bftplazarusc.jpg

[LIONHART]

Blast from the Past (http://www.lions.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/5085/newsid/121294/default.aspx)
11:02 AM Thu 18 Aug, 2011


i remember every one of those games in that two and a half year period. as a kid it was extremely difficult to 'hang in there' as a supporter, even in those days you wanted to be associated with winners.

gary lazarus used to inspire me, because he was able to overcome debilitating illness (polio) to play sport at the highest level.

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gary lazarus used to inspire me, because he was able to overcome debilitating illness (polio) to play sport at the highest level.

Well that explains why he wore leg irons as a kid.