Marist College and Ainslie product Sam Fisher will begin his daunting journey to the AFL this weekend when he is put through his paces at the draft combine.
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Fisher is hoping to emulate the likes of Jack Steele and Logan Austin, and although 10 of his NSW/ACT teammates will also make the trip to Melbourne he is the only Canberra representative.
The four-day screening consists of various endurance and agility tests as well as skills and interviews with club coaches and scouts, but the GWS Giants Academy forward said he is ready for the rigours involved.
"Playing with the Giants and playing with AFL-listed players has been a lot of help," Fisher said.
"People who have gone through those experiences have given me some knowledge on what it is going to be like, what to expect and how to prepare."
"I've put in the work over the last few months getting fit and conditioning myself for the tests, I'm pretty confident but obviously there are a bit of nerves going into it."
Fisher said his attributes are more aligned with the game than the specific endurance and agility tests.
"I wouldn't say I'm confident with any of them," he said. "I would say I'm more skilful than athletic, my ball-winning ability and my use of the ball is more my asset."
The head coach of the Giants' academy, Jason Saddington, agrees.
"Sam is one of those players who is a real natural footballer," said Saddington.
"Whilst he's good at speed and endurance he just has a natural football brain with good skills."
Saddington said Fisher has put himself in a strong position through his representative and NEAFL form where he was a member of the Giants' reserves premiership team.
"He finished off his year really well with the NEAFL team where he was able to showcase his classy skills, good ball use and his ability to find space."
Saddington said the access to the academy continues to be a significant boost for players from a traditionally non-football region, which has produced Steele, Austin, and Harrison Himmelberg.
"He's been able to follow the same pathway and learn from those guys and try emulate their feats," he said.
"We're proud of Sam and what he's been able to do this year, he has put himself in a brilliant position and hopefully that can transfer into the national draft or the rookie draft at the end of the year," said Saddington.
