Player Watch #35: Charlie Lazzaro - contract extension until end of 2024

[My Left Foote]

We have bigger problems than Charlie Lazzaro however he’s not the solution, 13 disposals for a sum total of 2 metres gained yesterday is dismal from a midfielder.

 

[pupstar]

We have bigger problems than Charlie Lazzaro however he’s not the solution, 13 disposals for a sum total of 2 metres gained yesterday is dismal from a midfielder.

In saying that metres gained doesn't always show the big picture of what he did in the match.

 

[justroyal]

If he isn’t trying to be effective in the contest’s he just goes unnoticed too easily. And it’s two weeks in a row it seems to be two quarters is all I see of him

 

[hotchilli]

We have bigger problems than Charlie Lazzaro however he’s not the solution, 13 disposals for a sum total of 2 metres gained yesterday is dismal from a midfielder.

Didn't really seem to see much midfield time yesterday, was more playing on a forward flank.

 

[Masked Avenger]

At this level, no one is beyond scrutiny but geez there's a few of his senior teammates that would be in the wallop line before him.

 

[BlueandWhiteinmyBlood]

I was at the game yesterday and although he got subbed out (I thought it was a good choice to roll the bull through the guts and replace him with Fordy) - when Lazzaro was on, I thought he played well.

 

[My Left Foote]

In saying that metres gained doesn't always show the big picture of what he did in the match.

And yet people refuse to apply the same standards to Will Phillips. If he had achieved 2 metres gained for a match they’d be losing their sh*t.

 

[northbergs]

He's a role player

What’s his role?


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[DarkPhoenix]

I don't think he was necessarily bad yesterday, involved in a few positive chains, but I feel like at the moment he doesn't quite have the processing and hand speed to impact these chains like a Wardlaw, Scott, Simpkin, LDU etc.

Felt like when he received it he wasn't able to get the ball moving as quickly as others which meant he was closed in on and ended up having to rush a disposal back to someone running past, but ultimately not moving the ball forward himself.

 

[pupstar]

And yet people refuse to apply the same standards to Will Phillips. If he had achieved 2 metres gained for a match they’d be losing their sh*t.

Correct me being a huge Will fan cant grasp it one bit.

 

[ChairmanZia]

What’s his role?


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Part of the midfield rotation, i.e. players who can stand against opp's bluechip mids for a while until our own bluechip players returns.

In those really good teams, you have a bunch of role players who could even run the mids by themselves.

 

[William Caresser]

Didn't really seem to see much midfield time yesterday, was more playing on a forward flank.

You're right, he only attended 4 centre bounces. LDU attended 24 for 3 centre clearances; Wardlaw 21 for 2 CCs; Powell 27 for 2 CCs; Simpkin 9 for 1. Xerri attended 25 and had 4 CCs.

 

[King Corey]

He had a couple of really nice 90s style front and center roves including one that lead to a goal (Powell). In a game where our team run stopped to a halt was surprised he was the scapegoat.

 

[Merlin007]

He had a couple of really nice 90s style front and center roves including one that lead to a goal (Powell). In a game where our team run stopped to a halt was surprised he was the scapegoat.

I've been a supporter too, but it's hard to avoid the hard fact that he's not having enough influence as a first choice mid

 

[hellas_johnny]

Thought he was stiff to be subbed ahead of Stephens

 

[William Caresser]

I've been a supporter too, but it's hard to avoid the hard fact that he's not having enough influence as a first choice mid

He didn't play midfield against Freo - he played predominantly half forward attending just 4 centre bounces . The guys that did play midfield attended 20 plus.

 

[RossHenshaw]

Needs VFL time

 

[Merlin007]

He didn't play midfield against Freo - he played predominantly half forward attending just 4 centre bounces . The guys that did play midfield attended 20 plus.

yep, I understand that, he had reduced CBAs with Simpkin returning, but that doesn't really change the equation - not all sources agree, but footywire.com suggests he hasn't won a centre clearance out of 22 attendances in 2 games (for the attendance, https://dfsaustralia.com/afl-cbas/?team=NTH&season=2024). Put another way, he's had no impact inside, and there's better options at half forward.

Don't get me wrong, I supported Lazarro's selection, and as depth he might even be worth another 12 month contract, but he's not doing enough to hold a spot at the minute

 

[My Left Foote]

yep, I understand that, he had reduced CBAs with Simpkin returning, but that doesn't really change the equation - not all sources agree, but footywire.com suggests he hasn't won a centre clearance out of 22 attendances in 2 games (for the attendance, https://dfsaustralia.com/afl-cbas/?team=NTH&season=2024). Put another way, he's had no impact inside, and there's better options at half forward.

Don't get me wrong, I supported Lazarro's selection, and as depth he might even be worth another 12 month contract, but he's not doing enough to hold a spot at the minute

And we all know the vitriol Will Phillips would cop had he not one a single clearance from 22 CBAs but we also know that there are different standards for different people.

 

[Devil Fish]

I will never understand the vitriol from supporters towards a guy that gives his all for the club. Sure he may not make it, but surely even the most miserable campaigner can appreciate the pure joy in watching someone do everything they can to get absolutely everything out of themselves. Never mind they are doing it for our club.

Not good enough but doing everything you can is the complete opossite of a list clogger.

Yeah, I suppose some of us are only interested in one thing - seeing our club win games of football. I admit, I’m in that camp.

Watching a guy get the best out of himself, while it’s admirable and nice to see, it’s not something I get a lot of joy out of if it doesn’t translate to helping us win games of football.

 

[swaeney]

doesn't hold his spot. we need someone who can assist us in the middle - phillips comes in for me. team looks better with him in it

 

[the big lebowski]

yep, I understand that, he had reduced CBAs with Simpkin returning, but that doesn't really change the equation - not all sources agree, but footywire.com suggests he hasn't won a centre clearance out of 22 attendances in 2 games (for the attendance, https://dfsaustralia.com/afl-cbas/?team=NTH&season=2024). Put another way, he's had no impact inside, and there's better options at half forward.

Don't get me wrong, I supported Lazarro's selection, and as depth he might even be worth another 12 month contract, but he's not doing enough to hold a spot at the minute

Not related to Lazz but the lack of an offical clearance stat can be misleading, especially when saying he’s had no impact.

Often it takes 2-3 possessions to clear a center bounce.

In addition he had 4 clearances to half time.

I’d much prefer WAP in there instead of Lazz.

 

[William Caresser]

yep, I understand that, he had reduced CBAs with Simpkin returning, but that doesn't really change the equation - not all sources agree, but footywire.com suggests he hasn't won a centre clearance out of 22 attendances in 2 games (for the attendance, https://dfsaustralia.com/afl-cbas/?team=NTH&season=2024). Put another way, he's had no impact inside, and there's better options at half forward.

Don't get me wrong, I supported Lazarro's selection, and as depth he might even be worth another 12 month contract, but he's not doing enough to hold a spot at the minute

Yep so he didn't play as a 'first choice mid' - as you put it - against Freo, he played 95% half forward, going in just 4 times.

No question he was poor against GWS but centre clearance wins is an issue for every inside mid except for LDU (and Xerri). Wardlaw 2 from 42 this season and Powell 2 from 28 on Saturday.

Obviously AC wasn't happy with him on Saturday and he'll get dropped. As long as the guys who were clearly worse than him also get dropped, I don't have a problem.

 

[Lomas]

Yeah, I suppose some of us are only interested in one thing - seeing our club win games of football. I admit, I’m in that camp.

Watching a guy get the best out of himself, while it’s admirable and nice to see, it’s not something I get a lot of joy out of if it doesn’t translate to helping us win games of football.

It’s a tough one, because many also see the importance of elite training standards across a list. You want the arrogant ones to see kids with less talent outdoing them so they push themselves. They often judge themselves against their peers, not the senior players.
I don’t say you keep them forever, that just means you don’t have that type of leadership in the mid to senior groups, but I think opportunities over four or five years is reasonable.
Every now and then one really makes it, but I agree there comes a time to say thanks for your efforts. I’m not sure where he stands in that right now.

 

[BlueandWhiteinmyBlood]

It’s a tough one, because many also see the importance of elite training standards across a list. You want the arrogant ones to see kids with less talent outdoing them so they push themselves. They often judge themselves against their peers, not the senior players.
I don’t say you keep them forever, that just means you don’t have that type of leadership in the mid to senior groups, but I think opportunities over four or five years is reasonable.
Every now and then one really makes it, but I agree there comes a time to say thanks for your efforts. I’m not sure where he stands in that right now.

I don’t think it’s a matter of Clarko not being happy or unhappy with the lizard I honestly just thought the sub was tactical to shake things up. I think Clarko wanted a bigger body in the guts to take it up to the bigger Freo mids, he had a pretty good HFF in Ford as sub and on the HFF he had a big bodied mid in the Bull. I honestly thought the lizard was pretty good with his TOG