Key defender Sam Azzi is set to reach his 50-game milestone when he runs out in Saturday’s Qualifying Final against the Box Hill Hawks at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval.

The milestone match will also be Azzi’s 47th consecutive appearance, having not missed a game since coming into the side midway through 2024, the longest active streak of any Werribee player.

Azzi featured in all 18 games during the 2026 home-and-away season, joining Jesse Clark, Ryan Eyers, Ajang Kuol Mun, Charlie Lazzaro, Jaelen Pavlidis, Louis Pinnuck and Jack Riding as the only Werribee players to appear in every match.

The key defender has produced the most consistent season of his VFL career, averaging career-high numbers in disposals, rebound 50s and intercept possessions.

Across his 18 appearances, Azzi averaged 10.6 disposals at 84.2% efficiency, 4.9 marks, 2.3 rebound 50s and 4.2 intercept possessions per game.

He also averaged 6.6 spoils, finishing the home-and-away season ranked fifth across the competition.

Azzi’s finest performance came in Werribee’s 31-point victory over Collingwood in Round 9 at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval.

He produced career-high numbers with 23 disposals and 19 kicks, while also recording 10 marks, including three intercept marks, eight spoils, seven intercept possessions and four rebound 50s.

The commanding display saw Azzi surpass 100 ranking points for the first time in his career as Werribee secured the first victory of what would become a nine-game winning streak.

Originally from North Albury in the Ovens and Murray Football League, Azzi joined Werribee ahead of the 2023 season after finishing runner-up in North Albury’s best and fairest.

Azzi had previously played alongside Dom Brew at North Albury, with his former teammate playing an important role in bringing the sought-after key defender to Werribee after he attracted interest from several VFL clubs.

He made his Werribee debut in Round 1 of the 2023 season but managed just three appearances during an injury-interrupted first year at the club.

Azzi began the following season at local level with Yarraville Seddon before three consecutive standout performances earned him a recall for Werribee’s Round 14 clash against Sydney.

He quickly established himself in the side and, with injuries to Nathan Cooper and Nick Coughlan, took on the responsibility of matching up against the opposition’s leading key forward each week.

A career-best 16 spoils against Southport in Round 19 highlighted his impact, with the tally the second most recorded by a player in a VFL match that season.

Azzi held his place when Cooper returned for the finals and formed part of the defensive unit that helped Werribee claim its first premiership in more than three decades.

He finished his breakout campaign with 10 appearances, averaging 8.4 disposals at 90% efficiency and seven spoils per game.

Azzi carried that form into 2025, playing all 18 matches as one of only five Werribee players to appear in every game.

Forming a reliable partnership with Ryan Eyers in the key defensive posts, Azzi averaged nine disposals per game at the highest disposal efficiency of any Werribee player while ranking sixth in the competition for total spoils.

His standout performance of the season came in Werribee’s victory over Port Melbourne, where he collected 17 disposals and 12 marks, including five intercept marks, to help the side hold firm in defence.

Now in his fourth season at the club, Azzi has developed into one of Werribee’s most dependable players and a mainstay of the backline.

After battling injuries throughout his first year, Azzi’s remarkable run of 47 consecutive appearances will culminate in his 50th game on one of the biggest stages of the season.

Werribee will face Box Hill in the second qualifying final, with the winner advancing directly to a home preliminary final in a fortnight.

The clash gets underway at 2:05pm on Saturday at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval.

MATCH DETAILS - SECOND QUALIFYING FINAL
Werribee vs Box Hill Hawks
Saturday, August 29, 2:05pm
Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee

Tickets are available through INTIX.

Tickets also remain available for our pre-match President’s Function, featuring a star-studded guest speaker lineup headlined by Hawthorn senior coach Sam Mitchell and Australian Olympian Peter Bol.