Question about Leigh Fisher

markinUSA · Post: # 940786Post **markinUSA** » Sun 13 Jun 2010 3:44pm

Hi

I know he's obviously been looked over by Ross and isn't even in the running for a firsts spot, but I saw he was on the Reserves for Sandy. What's happened and why has his form dropped off?

Cheers
Mark

Bernard Shakey · Sun 13 Jun 2010 4:00pm

He's only on our rookie list because he's contracted. Will be delisted at end of year.

zebraman · Post: # 940902Post **zebraman** » Sun 13 Jun 2010 6:14pm

and he did an ankle yesterday

Hurricane · Post: # 941013Post **Hurricane** » Sun 13 Jun 2010 7:07pm

only still on the list because he had a contract, will go at the end of the year. Didnt do much of anything during his St Kilda carrer TBH

BANG BANG

Enrico_Misso · Sun 13 Jun 2010 11:46pm

Was fortunate to sign a long term contract on the back of one half decent year.
Has been shytehouse ever since.

Bad list management on our behalf.

Zippy · Post: # 941624Post **Zippy** » Mon 14 Jun 2010 12:13am

he was superb in 2004 and 2005, from memory. A very, very good small backman. , until his hamstrings came away.

He was worse after that, especially when he got moved up the field and they seemed to try and turn him into a tagger, which didn't work.

I'd suggest his renewals have been based on the hope he'd get back to his youthful form.

Shame - he was really good five years ago.

markinUSA · Post: # 941670Post **markinUSA** » Mon 14 Jun 2010 1:05am

What I was asking is this - it seemed strange to me that a former AFL player can't even get a same in the VFL. He is playing in the VFL reserves... seemed strange, that's all. I have not seen him play since he was in the team, and was looking for an explanation. Trying to find out something about him, and how he was/is going.

battye · Post: # 941672Post **battye** » Mon 14 Jun 2010 1:12am

Didn't he play for St Kilda in the NAB Cup?

HardSaint · Post: # 941684Post **HardSaint** » Mon 14 Jun 2010 1:47am

markinUSA wrote:What I was asking is this - it seemed strange to me that a former AFL player can't even get a same in the VFL. He is playing in the VFL reserves... seemed strange, that's all. I have not seen him play since he was in the team, and was looking for an explanation. Trying to find out something about him, and how he was/is going.

Yeah I've wondered the same thing
He had a good year after some serious injury - remember him rehabilitating on the Tour de France, and being good the following year

Sad, I reckon, cos he copped an injury then never made it back - why negative improvement?

desertsaint · Mon 14 Jun 2010 4:22am

may have a poor memory but didn't he originally have bigger wraps than his brother?

kosifantutti23 · Mon 14 Jun 2010 4:40am

desertsaint wrote:may have a poor memory but didn't he originally have bigger wraps than his brother?

Yes, which probably explains why his brother never played in the AFL.

Mr Magic · Post: # 941720Post **Mr Magic** » Mon 14 Jun 2010 8:50am

HardSaint wrote:
markinUSA wrote:What I was asking is this - it seemed strange to me that a former AFL player can't even get a same in the VFL. He is playing in the VFL reserves... seemed strange, that's all. I have not seen him play since he was in the team, and was looking for an explanation. Trying to find out something about him, and how he was/is going.
Yeah I've wondered the same thing
He had a good year after some serious injury - remember him rehabilitating on the Tour de France, and being good the following year

Sad, I reckon, cos he copped an injury then never made it back - why negative improvement?

I think you might find that the Saints prefer to play others on our list in the Sandringham Seniors when they play against other AFL alligned teams, and there is a limit to the number of Saints players allowed to play.

Leigh Fisher has seemingly never been able to reach the same heights since his terrible hamstring injuries (much worse than Roo's).
IIRC he tore the hammy off the bone and was given the whole year off to recover?
I recall him going over to France to ride his bicycle along the Tour De France pathway during one season?

derby Street · Mon 14 Jun 2010 10:22am

Mr Magic wrote:
HardSaint wrote:
markinUSA wrote:What I was asking is this - it seemed strange to me that a former AFL player can't even get a same in the VFL. He is playing in the VFL reserves... seemed strange, that's all. I have not seen him play since he was in the team, and was looking for an explanation. Trying to find out something about him, and how he was/is going.
Yeah I've wondered the same thing
He had a good year after some serious injury - remember him rehabilitating on the Tour de France, and being good the following year

Sad, I reckon, cos he copped an injury then never made it back - why negative improvement?
I think you might find that the Saints prefer to play others on our list in the Sandringham Seniors when they play against other AFL alligned teams, and there is a limit to the number of Saints players allowed to play.

Leigh Fisher has seemingly never been able to reach the same heights since his terrible hamstring injuries (much worse than Roo's).
IIRC he tore the hammy off the bone and was given the whole year off to recover?
I recall him going over to France to ride his bicycle along the Tour De France pathway during one season?

Spot on MM. Saints will always be giving games in Sandy firsts to the young ones on the way up - not old ones on the way down. That said he has been a loyal servant

BigMart · Post: # 941747Post **BigMart** » Mon 14 Jun 2010 10:24am

His first 20 games were as good as any first year player - 2003....he averaged nearly twenty touches a game off HB and was very reliable.

Sainterone · Mon 14 Jun 2010 10:43am

This is what MSG said about Leigh Fisher on bigfooty back in 2007.... a good summary from MSG and nothing much has changed (about L Fisher) since then....some of the other backmen listed have gone on to bigger and better things...

Last played for us in the first half of 2008......
n.b. In 2003, had 67 disposals in 5 games including 18 in his debut game.
Averaged around 15 disposals in his 36 games in 2006 and 2007.

"Fisher is a smart, tough medium defender with great composure and solid skills. He is great overhead and has saved many goals with his strong contested marking on the last line of defence. He (along with Riewoldt) won us a game against Sydney in pouring rain last year with ridiculously good marking.

He tore one hammy off the bone and debuted in 2003 and performed well. He played the first 5 or 6 games of 2004 and then tore his other hamstring off the bone. He spent 2004 recovering and followed the tour de France in 2005 which resulted in him having indestructable tree-trunk legs. He returned and played excellent footy in 2006 and made a great start to 2007 before being moved to the midfield as a tagger (a role in which he looked lost).

I don't want to lose him, but our list of (non key) defenders includes S.Fisher, Goddard, Gilbert, R.Clarke, Attard, Gwilt and Ferguson, so we aren't exactly light on that type of player. If we did lose Fisher then it might not end up having any real impact on the team if Raph Clarke could step up."