Sam Naismith

Naismith was born in Narrabri, New South Wales but moved to Gunnedah with his family at a young age. He grew up playing rugby league and supported the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League. He first played Australian rules football at the age of 16 when a school friend convinced him to take part in a few training sessions with the Gunnedah Bulldogs.{{Cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2012/12/12/3652982.htm |title=Swans recruit Gunnedah local |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=1 October 2016 |archive-date=1 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001235044/http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2012/12/12/3652982.htm |url-status=live }} A year later, as a 17-year-old, he was named joint best and fairest winner of the Tamworth Australian Football League in 2009.{{Cite web |url=http://aflnswact.com.au/blog/2013/05/23/tamworth-pair-reunite-at-ladies-lunch/ |title=Tamworth pair reunite at Ladies Lunch |access-date=1 October 2016 |archive-date=1 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001204931/http://aflnswact.com.au/blog/2013/05/23/tamworth-pair-reunite-at-ladies-lunch/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |website=AFL North West NSW |url=http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-2297-0-81364-0&sID=17050&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=9821415 |title=Triple dead heat in Tony Gillies Medal |date=2009-08-23}} By 2011 Naismith was ready to quit Aussie rules and move to Sydney to play rugby union until then-Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos called him and invited him to join the Swans' talent academy.{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/sydney/sam-naismith-was-set-to-quit-aussie-rules-until-he-got-a-phone-call-from-sydney-coach-paul-roos/news-story/c4d6e7e05b32e643b379d5dd155c5dc2 |title=Sam Naismith was set to quit Aussie rules until he got a phone call from Sydney coach Paul Roos |work=Herald Sun}} Naismith accepted the invitation and began playing for the North Shore Bombers in the Sydney AFL competition in 2012. By the end of the season he was rookie drafted by the Swans.

Naismith made his debut for the Swans in the final round of 2014 season against Richmond. Naismith assumed the ruck duties alone that day as Mike Pyke and Tom Derickx, alternative ruck options, were both injured.{{Cite news |last=Cordy |first=Neil |author-link=Neil Cordy |date=21 August 2014 |title=Sydney can't afford to lose Mike Pyke but Sam Naismith and Toby Nankervis are ready |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/teams/sydney/sydney-cant-afford-to-lose-mike-pyke-but-sam-naismith-and-toby-nankervis-are-ready/news-story/1be65476fdfcf83dc2088c66ad0f603e |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=22 August 2024 |archive-date=9 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240309043614/https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/teams/sydney/sydney-cant-afford-to-lose-mike-pyke-but-sam-naismith-and-toby-nankervis-are-ready/news-story/1be65476fdfcf83dc2088c66ad0f603e |url-status=live }}

In December 2022, Naismith was delisted by the Swans and signed by VFL side Port Melbourne Football Club. He played for Port Melbourne during the 2023 season. In November 2023, Naismith signed with {{AFL Ric}} as a delisted free agent{{cite web|title=Naismith becomes a Tiger|url=https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1459211/naismith-becomes-a-tiger|date=1 Nov 2023|access-date=22 August 2024|archive-date=13 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240413221101/https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1459211/naismith-becomes-a-tiger|url-status=live}} after the club traded their back-up ruckman Ivan Soldo to Port Adelaide during the trade period.{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1052230/ivan-soldo-traded-from-richmond-to-port-adelaide|title=Five picks to change hands as Soldo heads to Port|work=AFL.com.au|date=18 October 2023|access-date=22 August 2024|archive-date=18 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718084233/https://www.afl.com.au/news/1052230/ivan-soldo-traded-from-richmond-to-port-adelaide|url-status=live}}

Naismith announced his retirement from football on 21 August 2024.{{cite news |url=https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1635320/naismith-calls-time |date=21 Aug 2024 |title=Naismith calls time |website=richmondfc.com.au |access-date=22 August 2024 |archive-date=21 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821033131/https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1635320/naismith-calls-time |url-status=live }}

On 18 October 2024, it was announced that Naismith had joined Fremantle Football Club as a ruck & development coach. https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/1679779/fremantle-coaching-department-update

Updated to the end of the 2024 season.{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/S/Sam_Naismith.html|title=Sam Naismith stats|work=AFL Tables|accessdate=1 November 2016|archive-date=23 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023045826/http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/S/Sam_Naismith.html|url-status=live}}

{{AFL player statistics legend/ruckman}}

{{AFL player statistics start/ruckman}}

|-

| 2014 || {{AFL Syd}} || 35

| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 6 || 6 || 1 || 3 || 16 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 6.0 || 6.0 || 1.0 || 3.0 || 16.0

|-

| 2015 || {{AFL Syd}} || 35

| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

|-

| 2016 || {{AFL Syd}} || 35

| 12 || 3 || 1 || 42 || 68 || 110 || 25 || 39 || 277 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 3.5 || 5.7 || 9.2 || 2.1 || 3.3 || 23.1

|-

| 2017 || {{AFL Syd}} || 35

| 15 || 0 || 3 || 52 || 81 || 133 || 25 || 40 || 419 || 0.0 || 0.2 || 3.5 || 5.4 || 8.9 || 1.7 || 2.7 || 27.9

|-

| 2018 || {{AFL Syd}} || 35

| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

|-

| 2019 || {{AFL Syd}} || 35

| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

|-

| 2020{{efn|The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.}} || {{AFL Syd}} || 10

| 2 || 0 || 0 || 15 || 4 || 19 || 5 || 9 || 53 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 7.5 || 2.0 || 9.5 || 2.5 || 4.5 || 26.5

|-

| 2021 || {{AFL Syd}} || 10

| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

|-

| 2022 || {{AFL Syd}} || 10

| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

|-

| 2024 || {{AFL Ric}} || 24

| 3 || 0 || 0 || 9 || 17 || 26 || 8 || 6 || 38 || 0 || 0 || 3.0 || 5.7 || 8.7 || 2.7 || 2 || 12.7

|- class=sortbottom

! colspan=3 | Career

! 33 !! 3 !! 4 !! 118 !! 176 !! 294 !! 64 !! 97 !! 803 !! 0.1 !! 0.1 !! 3.6 !! 5.3 !! 8.9 !! 1.9 !! 2.9 !! 24.3

|}

{{notelist}}

Team

• McClelland Trophy ({{AFL Syd}}): 2016

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{Richplayer}}
• {{AFL Tables|ref=S/Sam_Naismith.html}}

{{2013 AFL rookie draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Naismith, Sam}}

Category:Living people

Category:1994 births

Category:Sydney Swans players

Category:Australian rules footballers from New South Wales

Category:North Shore Australian Football Club players

Category:Richmond Football Club players

Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen