Ex-Collingwood defender James Aish aiming to have a longer stay at his third AFL club
At 24, former Magpie James Aish has already landed at his third AFL club and travelled across the country in the process. He’s hoping his latest move is more permanent.
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Three states. Three AFL clubs.
And James Aish is still only 24.
From Brisbane to Collingwood and now across the country to Fremantle, Aish has become somewhat of an AFL journeyman since his senior debut in 2014 in his search for more regular senior opportunities.
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But the former Magpie is hoping it’s a case of third time lucky at the Dockers where he is aiming to cement a place in the senior team and carve out a long career.
“It’s probably not what you expect, I guess, when you start,” Aish said.
“That’s the beauty of it and just from life experience and those sort of things it’s been a pretty cool little time so far.
“I loved my time at both the previous clubs and I’m just trying to take this opportunity and run with it and hopefully have a long career here.
“Ideally I can be a part of Freo getting back up and becoming a powerful team.
“I would like it to be a long-term thing and that’s what the club said when it (the trade) was happening, they ideally see it being long-term as well, so we’ll just have to see how it goes.”
Aish played 82 games at his first two clubs – 32 at the Lions and 50 in the past four seasons at the Magpies.
Following a 14-match season in 2019, the defender was part of a late trade to the Dockers in last year’s trade period after being squeezed out at the Magpies due to salary cap constraints.
Enticed by the security of a three-year deal at the Dockers, Aish followed new Dockers coach and former Collingwood assistant Justin Longmuir west.
While he would have happily stayed at the Magpies, Aish was relieved he had options.
“I certainly wasn’t seeking anything at the time,” Aish said.
“But it worked both ways where the club (Collingwood) situation was pretty obvious and then Freo had an offer come through as well.
“I didn’t go into it (trade period) thinking anything, but probably three or four days out from the trade period starting I probably thought I had to start looking into it.
“I was fortunate I guess that I had options.”
Aish admitted it was unlikely the deal would have happened without the support of Longmuir, who was the defensive coach at Collingwood.
“I don’t think it would have happened from both ends if it wasn’t for him,” Aish said.
“It made the decision a fair bit easier from my end just having a lot of trust in him and knowing he valued me as a player and could see some hopefully bigger and better roles for me coming over.
“That made it a lot easier and it’s been a good reason why I’ve settled in pretty well.”
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Since his arrival at the Dockers, Aish has been spending most of his time during pre-season training on the wing, targeting the vacant positions left by the departures of Bradley Hill (St Kilda) and Ed Langdon (Melbourne).
“(Longmuir) just said there will be plenty of opportunity,” said Aish, who is studying psychology.
“They lost Ed and Brad Hill from the wing, so there is a couple of holes there, which is the obvious spot and where I’ve been training mostly and possibly little stints inside in the midfield again and still having the option down half-back. So there’s still flexibility.”
Away from the training track, Aish has already settled into life in the west, investing in surf boards and joining the Dockers WhatsApp surf group.
“I have bought a few surf boards here … I enjoy that, but I’m not too great just yet,” he said.
“I have already been going a few times. A fair few of the guys head out in the water, that will be good fun and a good way to relax.”
“(For) time out of the game it’s always good to have something like that.”
Originally published as Ex-Collingwood defender James Aish aiming to have a longer stay at his third AFL club