Get To Know Your New Recruits – A Q&A With Sam Fisher

New Swan Districts recruit, Sam Fisher, has experienced many kids’ lifelong dreams of being drafted by an AFL club. After a year of playing and training alongside his Sydney Swans team mates, he received the horrible news that he wouldn’t be re-signed.

With his strong desire to get back to the highest level and prove any doubters wrong, Sam comes to Swan Districts with a powerful determination to fight his way back onto an AFL list.

Fisher is an exciting forward/midfielder who has spent the past two seasons under the direction of Collingwood and Gold Coast 200 gamer, Josh Fraser, and Essendon midfield star, Brent Stanton, at Carlton affiliate club, the Northern Blues.

Rewarded for his exceptional season last year, Fisher was named in the 2019 VFL Team of the Year on the half-forward flank.

We sat down with Sam to find out more about his journey up to signing at the Swan Districts Football Club.

Have you always played footy?

I started Auskick at about 5 years old and have played footy every year since then.

Where did you first start playing?

In Canberra. I’m originally from Canberra and I did Auskick there. My Grandfather was a big driver of that. He’s from Geelong and played down there, so even though Canberra is a Rugby dominant capital territory, I always had the influence from him.

So do you attribute your Grandfather to you playing Aussie Rules over Rugby?

My mothers’ side of the family are all from Geelong, and they are really passionate. So they lead me to play AFL over Rugby.

Do you still remember your first coach?

My first proper coach was my Grandfather in under 12’s, which is when you first properly play match structure. He was really passionate and got himself on the coaching panel somehow, but he’s got a lot of knowledge of the game, which was good, and he drove the standards pretty hard in under 12’s. I think that’s where I get my passion from.

When did you start to think you wanted to play footy as a career?

I’ve always had the dream. I think if you don’t want it from the start, you’re not going to have that drive. I’ve always wanted to play AFL and going through the talent program, which teaches you about professionalism and lifestyle, gave me the ambition to play at the highest level. I love the game and have always had that drive to get to where I wanted to be.

Take us through Draft night in 2016. Players are being called out to play for their respective AFL clubs. It gets to the end of the night and your name wasn’t read out. What was that like for you?

I was watching the Draft pretty intently. I was extremely disappointed. I had heard from my manager that one of the clubs might take me late, but that didn’t happen. The Saturday was pretty tough. I’d been playing footy for 16 years leading up to it and it didn’t happen how I wanted it to. I kept in touch with my manager of that weekend and I had some options for the Rookie Draft.

Did you know that Sydney were going to pick you up in the Rookie Draft?

I got taken as a Category B rookie, which meant I got signed before the Rookie Draft. Because I was a NSW player, they were able to take me before it occurred. So going into the Rookie Draft I was already on a list. I didn’t have to have that pressure of having an indicative order and having no idea if someone would take me. Sydney have had a good record with rookies, so I thought it was definitely a good fit, and it was close to Canberra.

Did you think any team might pick you up in the draft?

I think Carlton were interested in me, and after I got delisted, that’s why I was at the Northern Blues, to try and push my case with them there.

What was it like learning from some of the AFL’s big names like Buddy, Kieran Jack, Luke Parker and more?

Probably like every teenager coming out of the TAC cup or the under 18’s program, you’re pinching yourself that you are there because you are good enough. You’ve got to take the opportunity from day one and realise you are there because you’re good enough. You’re training with them and living with them every minute of the day, so you get to know them as your team mates instead.

Who did you live with when you were at the club?

I lived with Toby Pink who was a rookie in my draft year, and then George Hewett who’s obviously gone on to play some good footy now.

How did you receive the news that you weren’t going to be resigned?

I’d always had question marks over my run, and I got given the opportunity for a second preseason at Sydney and was told that if I came back fit, then they’d probably re-rookie me. I did everything I could in the off-season and came back in career best shape, running wise. I trained the day of the Rookie Draft and was at the club that afternoon. Unfortunately they didn’t pick me up as a rookie, which was disappointing.

It would have been tough to take?

Definitely. I came in feeling good in the preseason and started to leaning towards it being another year with them, and when it just gets taken away from you, it’s pretty heart wrenching.

What made you decide to sign with the Northern Blues?

Carlton were interested in me during my draft year and Stephen Silvagni (former Carlton list manager), got in contact with me and said if I tick the boxes they wanted me to tick, then they’d look at picking me up the next year. That was the main reason really.

Finishing in the VFL’s team of the year, what made you decide to come and play for the Swan Districts?

I see the opportunity to improve. They have big grounds and with running being my question mark, if I can prove that on big grounds I have no problems in covering them, it eradicates that query on me. I’d been at the Northern Blues for the last two years and I love the club, but this was something I wanted to tick off, and to make sure I’ve done everything I can to get back on an AFL list.

What strengths do you bring to the team?

My footy smarts, contested ball around stoppages and using the ball going inside forward 50. They’ve always been my strengths - my footy smarts and clean hands around congestion.

Swan Districts have a very proud, strong supporter base. Have you heard much about the fans at the club?

Thursday nights are club nights and they have supporters and fans coming that have been around the club for 20 years. When you’ve had volunteers here for 20-25 years, it just shows the culture of the club and how much it means to everyone around this part of Perth. They’re a community club, and with Frank Anderson working there, he’s giving me insight into how good they are outside of footy in growing people’s lives and immersing them into football.

Along with playing at Swans, what else are you doing while in Perth?

I’m studying Engineering at Uni and currently doing an internship at D&Z Constructions for that. I’m really enjoying the lifestyle over here and the weather. I’m just really enjoying it.

Do you still have the desire to make it back onto an AFL list?

Yeah, that’s the ultimate goal. That’s what I’ve been trying to achieve over the last few years.

Your Grandfather played with Geelong. Is that the AFL team you support today?

I grew up barracking for Geelong pretty hard. We’d go down to Melbourne and watch as many games as we could, when I didn’t have sporting commitments. I don’t really go for anyone now, after playing for the Swans and knowing the boys at Carlton. I can’t really pinpoint who to go for, I just like to watch good footy.

Don’t miss a moment of the action as Sam runs out with his new team mates on Saturday the 4^th April against reigning Premiers, Subiaco. Drop into the club to purchase your Swan Districts Membership, or give us a call on 9279 8700 today!