Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas ‘gutted’ over Sam Fisher charges

Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas has revealed he’s “gutted” over Sam Fisher’s drug charges, while footy great Sam Newman has also weighed in.

Several friends say they have lost touch with Sam Fisher in recent years.

Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas says he was “gutted” to hear about Sam Fisher’s arrest on drug trafficking charges.

“I’m gutted ... wish I knew more,” Thomas tweeted, alongside a sad face emoji.

It comes as Fisher, 39, remains in his cell after being accused of moving drugs between Melbourne and Perth in a rangehood.

Thomas was Saints coach from 2001 to 2006, during which time Fisher played some of his best footy.

Footy great Sam Newman said Fisher’s plight highlighted the pitfalls of being in the public eye.

Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas says he is ‘gutted’ to hear about the charges against Sam Fisher.

“Footy players are over scrutinised to within an inch of their lives. Any other person in the rank and file of the community would do exactly the same things but no one would notice,’’ Newman said at the Sony4Ward charity event on Thursday.

“This is the legacy and the downside of being in the public eye. There’s advantages and disadvantages.

“75 per cent of the community are on drugs and it’s unfortunate (about what Fisher is going through).

“But you’ve got to be very careful when you’re in the public eye about when and where you do it. He’s probably just been a little naive.”

Fisher was “too sick” to front court this week where details of his charges, sparked by a Trident Task Force operation, were detailed in a late night hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.

Friends were concerned that the 228-game defender was now facing charges for trafficking commercial quantities of illicit drugs.

His former girlfriend, Kate Neilson, said: “It’s sad because I always liked Sam and he was always good to me so I find this heartbreaking news”.

Kate Neilson said she’s heartbroken over Sam Fisher’s drug charges.

Neilson with former partner Wayne Carey in 2009.

Ms Neilson, who also dated Wayne Carey, said she spent a lot of time with Fisher towards the back end of his career, which finished in 2016.

He also dated Kasia Z, the ex of superstar Buddy Franklin.

More recently it’s not known if Fisher was in a relationship. He kept a low profile, with a one-time friend saying they never really knew what he did for a job.

He liked a party, was often seen at the races or bars like The Emerson in South Yarra, and went to the Super Bowl in 2020 where he caught up with Dane Swan and Eddie McGuire.

Other friends were not surprised. He had gradually fallen out of contact with his former Saints teammates.

“He was always a bit of a party boy but was never known to be involved with drugs while he played,’’ a friend said.

“None of them seem surprised though by what they’ve heard now.”

Sam Fisher played 288 games for the Saints. Picture: AAP

Another friend said: “He won two best and fairests and was All-Australian in a year the Saints made a prelim.

“He was a very good footballer, he didn’t have a huge profile and people underestimated him.

“He was the sort of guy that flew under the radar and didn’t seek attention. But no one knew what he really did for work after footy”.

Fisher was working with a real estate company called HumblAbode in 2017.

The company no longer has an operating website and Australian Securities and Investments documents show it applied to be wound up, before withdrawing that application recently.

St Fisher with former partner Stephanie Edwards.

Fisher with Kasia Z. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

Western Australian police seized a parcel containing $129,000 on April 20 en route to a Melbourne ­address.

They also intercepted another parcel that same day, which is alleged to have originated from Melbourne, which contained approximately 1kg of meth and 84g of cocaine concealed within a kitchen ­appliance.

Fisher’s house in Sandringham was raided and his Mercedes Benz was seized amid allegations it was bought with the proceeds of crime.

Police also allegedly found methylamphetamine, 1,4-Butanediol – a precursor drug of GHB – during the raid.

The Trident Task Force was set up to “detect, deter and disrupt serious and organised crime.”

Fisher, who is from South Australia’s Riverland, spoke about the heartbreak of his parents Terry and Sue when there were reports in 2013 about his off-field behaviour.

“The parents … that’s the most disappointing thing about it,” he told the Herald Sun’s Mark Robinson at the time.

“They’ve got to read it and then you get asked questions by them.

“They know me closely enough and how I am away from the club, they know how I am at the club and they know how I am when I’m home with them.”

Fisher’s case will be back in court on August 10.