Sam Fisher, 41, learnt his fate at the County Court in Melbourne on Thursday after pleading guilty to six drug offences.
The charges include trafficking a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, cocaine and 1,4-Butanediol, and three counts of drug possession.
Fisher was arrested by police in May 2022 for trafficking 996g of methamphetamine and 82g of cocaine from Melbourne to Western Australia.
He had picked up a rangehood from Harvey Norman in Moorabbin and then delivered it to a Melbourne patisserie owned by his co-accused Julien Morvan's father, with the drugs inside.
Police intercepted the package on April 20, and found two hidden parcels containing the drugs inside the rangehood.
Fisher spent 48 days in prison after he was arrested and was then bailed to a rehabilitation centre where he spent 105 days.
Judge Gerard Mullaly found there were "powerful reasons" to hand Fisher a sentence below the standard due to the lesser role he played in the plot, his significant reform and deep remorse.
He said Fisher's drug use had spiralled out of control after the former St Kilda star retired from professional football in 2016 and struggled to to find consistent employment.
"You acknowledge now you were fiercely addicted and consuming multiple drugs in an uncontrollable fashion," Judge Mullaly said.
"You began to move in circles with others involving drugs.
"Your chaotic lifestyle came to an abrupt end when you were arrested."
The judge handed him a maximum prison term of five years and four months.
He must spend at least three years behind bars before he will be eligible for parole.
Fisher could be heard crying as he was led out of the court room by custody officers.
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