Former St Kilda defender Sam Fisher opens up about how jail, rehab helped turn his life around

Former Saints star Sam Fisher has spoken publicly for the first time of his drug addiction, revealing he wished he’d entered rehab to kick the habit sooner.

Former St Kilda defender Sam Fisher said it took a long time for him to find the “courage” to admit he had a drug addiction.

Now he says: “I wish I had have done it sooner”.

Fisher, who was last year arrested and charged over his alleged role in a cross-border drug trafficking ring, has revealed he still struggled with his addiction even after a stint in rehab.

“There’s been times where it hasn’t been easy since coming out of rehab. Addiction doesn’t discriminate, it’s a disease,” he said.

But he said he won’t take the second chance to clean up his life for granted.

Speaking candidly on a panel for Good Bloke Society on Wednesday, Fisher had seemingly shed any sense of bravado once ingrained into previous generations of AFL superstars.

Instead, he had discovered – and embraced – a new power in being vulnerable.

“I’ve been in better positions in my life,” Mr Fisher, 40, quipped before delving into some of his darkest periods post-retirement from the game in 2016.

Sam Fisher – affectionately known as ‘Chips’ – is rebuilding his life after last year’s shock arrest and stint in rehab. Picture: AFL Media

“I can’t look too far ahead and I can’t look behind too far, all I can do is control what I can in the present moment and that’s doing the next best thing every day.

“I probably knew that I needed to go to a rehab before I ended up in jail. I didn’t have the courage to probably come out and admit that.”

It was May last year when the two-time Best and Fairest winner’s life was turned on its head. Detectives raided his Sandringham home as part of a wider investigation into an alleged cross-border drug trafficking ring, tipped off by their Western Australian counterparts.

Mr Fisher – affectionately known to fans and loved ones as ‘Chips’ – later admitted being a drug addict, reportedly using 30ml of GHB daily as well as methamphetamine.

He endured weeks of withdrawal in a jail cell before he was bailed to an Arrow Health facility in Woodend last July – an opportunity he refused to take for granted.

“I didn’t have the support network to probably come out and admit that I had a problem, which is where now with GBS I feel comfortable," Fisher said.

Former Saint Sam Fisher (left) and then St Kilda Skipper Nick Riewoldt in 2017. Picture: AFL media

“In a roundabout way, I wasn’t desperate enough to get to rehab but I ended up in jail and my only way to get out of jail was to end up in rehab.”

Released under strict bail conditions last October, Fisher has since landed part-time work with a telecommunications company and begun advocating for mental health.

At the time, he was lauded for his role model behaviour while at the facility.

“I’ve been given a great opportunity workwise … whose values are very similar to the GBS. “They support, they care. I couldn’t have aligned myself and been given a better opportunity.”

The All-Australian said he was committed to making the most of his recovery – but that doesn’t mean his demons hadn’t reared their ugly head in the months since.

“My parents have always said to me since, I just wish you could’ve told me or come to us sooner and we would’ve been able to knock this on the head before it got to this stage,” he said.

“There are tough points in my life going forward where I think it’s probably easier to numb those feelings again and go down the easy path, but I have the courage now to be able to tell my parents when I’m going through that,” Mr Fisher said.

Fisher, who played 288 games for St Kilda from 2004 to 2016, will soon stand trial in the County Court over allegations he trafficked illicit drugs between Melbourne and Perth.

Top defence barrister Dermot Dann previously said his client denied the allegations and would plead not guilty.

“I’m going alright, I’ve still got a lot to get through,” Fisher said.

“But as I said before I can only control what I am doing right now in this present moment and that’s doing the next best thing every second of the day.”