That date was June 30, when clubs could no longer sign players.

Fisher ended his decorated career in 2019 after North Tamworth won a record sixth straight premiership (he was also involved in the club's three straight grand final losses prior to that).

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The married father of three, 32, retired to spend more time with his family.

"I will be now," Fisher said of attending Norths matches. "I did avoid them for a while ... I just sort of steered clear of the place."

On a cold afternoon on June 3, the former Navy man watched his first Bears premiership match since retiring. He was joined at Jack Woolaston Oval by his family - wife Sammy and children Charlotte, 3, Teddy, 2, and Willow, almost one - as Kooty won 19-18 in extra-time.

It was the second time the Roosters had beaten their 2019 grand final vanquishers in as many matches this year, and it was Norths fourth loss in 2021.

With four matches left before the finals, they sit third on the table - two wins behind pacesetters Kootingal-Moonbi.

When Fisher ran the Bears' right edge in 2019, they won the title undefeated and won the Clayton Cup. He is part of a private Snapchat group featuring Bears past and present.

Although he has hardly seen Norths play this year, he said another former Bears great, Shane Wadwell, posted a video blog on the Snapchat that "filled in all the details" concerning the side's form.

Having computed all the data, Fisher believes there is nothing terribly wrong with the side.

Ahead of an away clash against Boggabri on Saturday, he said the Bears had "not found their groove yet, in terms of playing the possession game and holding the footy and just being more disciplined".

"There's not too much to criticise, I think," he added. "I think when finals come, with the players the Bears have still got [and with coach Brad McManus][, I think you'll see a different outfit."

No one "has made a fool" of Norths this year, he said.

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