VFL 2018: Northern Blues midfielder and ex-Sydney Swans rookie Sam Fisher chasing second AFL opportunity

EXTRA midfield minutes have ignited former Sydney rookie Sam Fisher’s push to earn a second AFL opportunity at Northern Blues.

Sam Fisher kicks Northern Blues forward in the VFL. Picture: Amy Paton.

EXTRA midfield minutes have ignited former Sydney rookie Sam Fisher’s push to earn a second AFL opportunity at Northern Blues.

The 20-year-old averaged 25 disposals, five marks and 5.5 tackles per match between rounds nine and 13 of his debut VFL campaign, finding his niche playing a mid-forward role for the Blues.

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“It was a really good opportunity to test myself in the VFL, probably the best second-tier comp in Australia,” said Fisher, who spent one season on the Swans’ rookie list. “It has definitely been a new experience.”

Fisher played twice in Melbourne in the TAC Cup, travelling to Craigieburn and Frankston as a member of the NSW/ACT Rams side.

Sam Fisher kicks Northern Blues forward in the VFL. Picture: Amy Paton.

Originally from Canberra, Fisher had experience playing with Greater Western Sydney and the Swans in the NEAFL before moving south earlier this year.

He said becoming absorbed in Melbourne’s football-mad culture in the heart of a season had been an eye-opening experience.

“In Melbourne it’s all footy, footy, footy,” he said.

“Everyone loves it that touch more than Sydney. The weather is pretty similar to Canberra.

“Instead of going to the beach, you go and enjoy footy a bit more. I am getting used to it a bit better now.”

Feeling more at home in his new suburb of Kew and having settled in to an engineering course at RMIT University, Fisher’s confidence has flowed into his football.

“Just adjusting to a different game style, settling in at uni and stuff like that, it’s taken a while to do that,” he said. “Being more settled in, more comfortable with the environment, has helped massively.”

Fisher trained with Carlton during pre-season, having experienced the professionalism of an AFL club in Sydney.

He said the famed Swans culture had lived up to expectation.

“Just the intensity everything is done, no matter how little or big the training is, they do it to maximum intensity,” he said.

Sam Fisher meets Sydney legend Tony Lockett during his time at the Swans. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Pushing his way past players such as Will Hayward, Oliver Florent and Tom Papley to earn one of the small forward roles in Sydney’s team proved a tall order.

“It just didn’t go my way at the Swans,” he said.

“Hopefully there’s another opportunity at another AFL club if I can continue the good form.”

Fisher said he had uprooted his life to move to Melbourne intent on earning a second crack at the elite level.

“At the Swans I played a similar role to what I have been at the moment, through the midfield and also through the forward line,” he said.

“I am playing more minutes in the midfield which has definitely helped.”