Fish

[PJ]

Can he have an impact?

Considered gone by most but is he able to offer something?

Couch still seems to have faith in him and I must admit I was surprised he didn't show more. Always had a lot of potential - but that can be a bit of a dirty word.

Why suddenly pulling the finger out??

[Quixote]

Couch still seems to have faith in him

That could be the problem??

[PJ]

That could be the problem??

Ross never seemed to show much faith in the past perhaps he had injury issues but it seems an about face.

It would be great if he could become a contributor. Mini's a little light weight in the middle for me.

[Batnoe]

That could be the problem??

Ross never seemed to show much faith in the past perhaps he had injury issues but it seems an about face.

It would be great if he could become a contributor. Mini's a little light weight in the middle for me.

I think he means that you wrote couch instead of coach and that if the couch has a problem with him that is why he cant get a game

[WayneJudson42]

He was highly rated by GT. Hopefully he can reinvent himself and take his opportunity.

He looks sharp. Would prefer him to Mini or CJ TBH.

[True Blue Sainter]

Would prefer a fit and firing Fish than Mini definitely, and probably Eddy & CJ as well. I really hope he can make a fist of this chance. Good luck Leigh

[n1ck]

Has always had elite endurance - especially since all his bike training, following the Tour de France around the mountains after his hamstring troubles.

His problem has been his pace and his lack of quality skills. Hes not really great (or even very good) at any one skill, which IMO holds him back a fair bit

If he can get better at tackling he could be a decent tagger / stopper. If he can learn to read the play better and improve his footy smarts / judgement he could be a decent backup 'inside' midfielder as he can follow the play and hes tough as nails. If he can fix his running problems and improve his kicking he could easily cement a spot in a back pocket or a half back flank.


Theres a spot for him in the side if he really wants it. If he does, he has the attitude and the work ethic to make it his.

[PJ]

Cheers Batnoe

If it is the "couch" maybe he's having trouble getting out of it.

[Armoooo]

I always used to rate Leigh Fisher but IMO Ross Lyon tried to turn him into something that he isn't... If he is going to make it in our lineup he has to become a defender rather than a tagging midfielder, he can play small to medium and do it well, the ball is well and truly in Leigh's court and he has shown he still wants it bad...

[St Fidelius]

I always used to rate Leigh Fisher but IMO Ross Lyon tried to turn him into something that he isn't... If he is going to make it in our lineup he has to become a defender rather than a tagging midfielder, he can play small to medium and do it well, the ball is well and truly in Leigh's court and he has shown he still wants it bad...

I think with his endurance he could make a good tagger and that playing him in the back line is in fact wasting his endurance potential

[bigcarl]

i rate him as a good, solid half back or back pocket. nothing spectacular, but very determined and will give 100 per cent.

his spot was taken by dempster, so i guess that spot is up for grabs until dempster comes back successfully.

[jays]

he is gone imo ross doesnt like him

[Batnoe]

he is gone imo ross doesnt like him

Funny you should say that, i actually saw him and Ross having a Pash last night beside the pool, he has definitly made up with him!

[skeptic]

anybody think he could end up as a forward?

I just have a feeling

[Bernard Shakey]

No!

[WayneJudson42]

I must admit, I get nervous when Eddie, Mini and CJ all get a regular gig.

IMO, until we get players replacing them based on being better footballers... we're unlikely to win a flag.

If they are in your best 22, then it doesn't say much for players 23 and below.

I know this thread is about Fish... so my desire is based on him coming good enough to force 1 of the above back to Sandy for 2009.

[vacuous space]

I must admit, I get nervous when Eddie, Mini and CJ all get a regular gig.

There's one thing in particular that CJ doesn't do well, but he's hardly the first person to struggle with his kicking. Joel Corey, Chad Fletcher and Brett Kirk are AA premiership players. None of them can kick. You can provide value to a good team without being Brendon Goddard with the ball. As awkward as CJ looks with the ball, his disposal isn't that bad. I have no problem with him being in our best 22.

[PJ]

It really doespose the question - if all our players adopted the mentality that Fish has at present where would we be now??

[Sobraz]

I think he belongs in the backline, running through the lines and preferably packs... He has a strong body, and has sure hands..

Ross does love to turn all non key position players into midfielders, but i believe sometimes a back pocket is a back pocket, and that to me is Fish..

I have faith he can flourish this year... Would much prefer him entrenched in our 22 ahead of mini or eddy.. Just feel he has more to offer...

[Shaggy]

It really doespose the question - if all our players adopted the mentality that Fish has at present where would we be now??

Fish is an over achiever.

I doubt any of our current first or second years can take a year and half off footy and cement their place in the side shortly after they come back as Fish did.

The surprise for Saintsational is that the guy is a great runner despite the nonsense theories some propose.

The 3k run is an ideal test of a mid fielder (who these days run roughly the same per quarter and obviously the faster you can run it the better).

The running game style suits some-one like Fish, not vice a versa.

So why did he fall away this year?

I thought he must have been carrying some injury. His form in VFL was ordinary.

Maybe he was just gutted after being put on the trade table the year before.

Regardless I am glad he is back. He is IMO obviously in our top 22 when right.

[St Fidelius]

I think he belongs in the backline, running through the lines and preferably packs... He has a strong body, and has sure hands..

Ross does love to turn all non key position players into midfielders, but i believe sometimes a back pocket is a back pocket, and that to me is Fish..

I have faith he can flourish this year... Would much prefer him entrenched in our 22 ahead of mini or eddy.. Just feel he has more to offer...

Leigh has endurance and has basically nothing else that is a real stand out..

Back Pocket would be a waste IMO

I still feel he has a spot as a tagger, much the same as Ling of Geelong.

Both Leigh and Ling have the endurance capabilities and their pace is not really that flash...

I would like to see him take over the role that Baker had in the middle or at the very least give it a try

[borderbarry]

I hate to say it but I think Leigh Fisher has been passed by younger players. And then there is this years recruits as well.

[Saints94]

Leigh Fisher can play he just needs to become a regular

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Has always had elite endurance - especially since all his bike training, following the Tour de France around the mountains after his hamstring troubles.

His problem has been his pace and his lack of quality skills. Hes not really great (or even very good) at any one skill, which IMO holds him back a fair bit

If he can get better at tackling he could be a decent tagger / stopper. If he can learn to read the play better and improve his footy smarts / judgement he could be a decent backup 'inside' midfielder as he can follow the play and hes tough as nails. If he can fix his running problems and improve his kicking he could easily cement a spot in a back pocket or a half back flank.


Theres a spot for him in the side if he really wants it. If he does, he has the attitude and the work ethic to make it his.

I disagree about the lack of skill - but I think I end up coming to the same place in thinking that Leigh Fisher's biggest problem is that he's a "tweener", not really a midfield body, and definately not KPP size.

From a skills POV, his groundskills just aren't AFL midfield caliber - and Ross Lyon seems to like tall backmen for any role (e.g. having Dempster and Gilbert playing against small forwards). His marking is well above most mids, but for all the endurance, his footspeed has never let him take advantage of it in games by creating those 1-on-1s.

His kicking is neither strong nor a liability. He can be relied on to make safe choices and hit his midrange targets, but he's not particularly damaging with the ball in his hands.

It's great to hear that he's come to win a spot back this offseason, as the only other player to experience such a dramatic loss of fortune since the coaching change is Dal, and he's still got a job. Fisher looked like an emerging gun at the end of '06, but the role he played so well no longer exists, and the other role he initially slipped into under Lyon (loose defender) is better in the hands of the other Fisher, or Brendon Goddard, or Jason Gram... so Lyon's tried to change him into a mid, and Fisher's never really looked the goods in that position.

Moved to the midfield, he goes from being a relatively small body to a large body, so if he can add some pace, the main thing he needs to address is groundball and reading the play - the other aspects he's passable to good at.

It would be great to see Fisher adapt himself to get back into the 22, always liked the way he goes about it.

[Con Gorozidis]

I always used to rate Leigh Fisher but IMO Ross Lyon tried to turn him into something that he isn't... If he is going to make it in our lineup he has to become a defender rather than a tagging midfielder

RL wants to turn the entire team into tagging midfielders. he loves them.