Zac Fisher | 2021 Season Review

Written by Ari Stamatakos

SEASON SYNOPSIS

After missing a significant portion of 2020, and a positional change to small forward, the season of Zac Fisher was set to be an intriguing one. After losing the momentum he garnered through 2019, he needed a good season to get his game back on track. He started very well, a 20-possession game against the Tigers in round 1, followed by another good game against the Pies in round 2, things were looking good. Until he unfortunately got struck down by injury again, this injury saw him miss until round 12 against the Eagles. When he returned, but never quiet found his mojo. Not standing out in many games until the Saints in round 20, where he found a glimmer of his old self. When Fisher was humming, he has the spark and crowd-pleasing style of play which lifts the whole team

BEST PERFORMANCE

After being one of many who performed very poorly against the Roos in round 19, he needed to respond against The Saints. He was trusted with alot more midfield time in round 20, with 9 more centre bounces attended against the Saints than the week prior. His trademark pace and dancing feet were on display as his footy intelligence pushed him to have a much better game than the stats suggest     

He had 18 disposals, 5 tackles, 5, score involvements, 26 pressure acts, 5 inside 50’s and 3 clearances. In a year where he never really found his groove. This was a positive step in finding the form that made Zac Fisher a fan-favourite in 2019. After having 0 tackles the week prior, his response shows the resilience that he has, not dropping his head and keeping on going, when he could’ve very easily downed tools. With a fairly even 42% Defensive half and 58% Offensive half disposals ratio, this explores the rational from the coach’s box. Giving him the responsibility of more midfield minuets, this played dividends as Fisher produced one of his better performances of the year.  

OFF-SEASON & 2021 OUTLOOK

What Zac Fisher needs to identify in the off/pre-season is what is his best position. When he returned in 2020 under David Teague, he was reluctant, but then fully into the idea of him being a small forward. With the development of Owies, Honey and Durdin; his role as a small forward is pretty much redundant. As well as this, he isn’t as much of goals scorer as we need from a stay-at-home small forward. Only kicking 4 goals this year, and more concerningly, 8 behinds. His 4-goal game against the Eagles in 2020 would’ve masked the vision of many. He is much more efficient in the midfield/half forward. This is a position(s) where he can express his assets on a regular basis and in a more damaging position. He averaged elite for Clearances (1.7) and Ground Ball Gets (4.7) amongst forwards this year. As well as above average for Effective Disposals (10.8) and Inside 50’s (2.5). All of these stats further perpetuate the notion of his effectiveness as midfielder rather than a forward. At his flamboyant best, Zac Fisher is near on unplayable, he is the spark is a sometimes-bleak Carlton side. 

2021 REPORT CARD RATING

C-

STATUS HEADING INTO 2022 

Consistent 22