Charlie Lazzaro still has to pinch himself sometimes when he thinks about how far he’s come in the past twelve months.
Like many others, he completed his year 12 studies online, but within the space of a year he finds himself playing AFL football in front of thousands of fans.
Making his debut in the fourth quarter of Round 1 as the medical substitute, Lazzaro says he is proud to have been given the opportunity to soak in the atmosphere with his teammates and coaches.
“I got the best experience of a debut possible by being able to sit with all my teammates … it was awesome and I was rapt,” he told North Media.
“Watching the game sitting next to Nobes (David Noble) and listening to the way he directed the players and his coaching staff was an experience.
“I’m really lucky that I got on the ground to make my debut officially … but I certainly didn’t want to get one at the expense of a serious injury to a teammate.”
Following his quarter against Port Adelaide, Lazzaro was named on the interchange against Gold Coast and impressed with 17 disposals and five inside 50s.
While his preparation as the substitute differed from his preparation as a member of the 22, he says there’s a lot more to come from him should he be afforded the opportunity.
“I think I was a little bit calmer and cooler for longer periods [against Port] … against the Suns it was more about making sure I was mentally and physically switched on from the start,” he said.
“It was a nice experience to get a full game under my belt, but there’s obviously a lot I have to work on.
“There were areas where I showed some signs of what’s to come from me … but I have a lot more to show and prove in the coming weeks.”
A versatile player, Lazzaro has the ability to impact the game from the forward-line and in the midfield.
With two games under his belt and a defined role in the team, he says he knows where his immediate improvement needs to come from.
“As a small forward I need to get better at tackling inside 50 to create more stoppages, as well as kick goals every week,” he said.
“The best small forwards always seem to find a way to impact the scoreboard and they’re awesome at applying pressure.
“On the wing it’s more about making sure my high-speed efforts happen often, and I’m able to grind my opponent up and down using my running capability.”
