Steven Baker could return to St Kilda
Saint Kilda will face the Western Bulldogs this weekend, possibly with the hard-tackling Steven Baker, who is looking to force his way into the side for the preliminary final. After a tough season Baker was a last minute withdrawal from the side that faced
Geelong in the qualifying final. Baker was forced to pull out of the match during the final training run having fractured his toe.
Despite this, the Saint Kilda tagger is keen to be selected for an important game against their Melbourne rivals. Saint Kilda manager Greg Hutchinson believes that Baker could be influential if selected this Saturday. However, Hutchinson is eager not to
give anything away suggesting that, “what happens this week will be determined at selection. Baker has a training session this afternoon. We’ll have a look at selection tomorrow and a final decision will be made post training. ”
Playing at home, Saint Kilda will be expected to win against the Western Bulldogs and may then meet the league leaders Collingwood in what will be a fierce and contested derby match.
Baker was first drafted to Saint Kilda in 1998 at pick 27 in the second round. Since then he has played in the 2004 AFL Wizard Home Loans cup-winning side. He has also won the Trevor Barker best and fairest award in 2005 with team mate Luke Ball. In the
same year Baker went on to play his 100th game. In 2008, he played in St Kilda’s 2008 AFL National Australia Bank Cup winning side.
The thirty-year-old has been linked to a number of controversial incidents. In August 2007, Baker was suspended for several matches after an off-the-ball incident with Freemantle forward Jeff Farmer. Farmer was forced to leave the pitch at the Telstra Dome
having suffered concussion. Baker was later charged by the Australian Football League with rough conduct despite the lack of video evidence.
In June of this year Baker found himself in trouble again for striking Geelong’s Steve Johnson and for misconduct. Again, Baker was forced to face a tribunal and was handed down another suspension in what was the longest ban for a single match.
Since moving to Saint Kilda from Geelong in 1999, Baker has played 178 games and scored 34 goals, proving he is not just an enforcer or defensive player. His reputation as a tagger and tough tackler has brought him both acclaim and criticism among the media
and public.
The Saint Kilda manager Greg Hutchinson still believes that Baker could be important during the final matches of this season. According to Hutchinson, “he’s done everything he possibly can. He had a really good session and did a little bit extra on Saturday
so he’s certainly in consideration.”
For Baker to reclaim a position within the team, he will have to break back into the side, which has almost reached the Grand Final without him and also without the influential captain Nick Riewoldt. This may be a tough test for Baker, but he has shown on
numerous occasions that he can upset the odds and his robust style may well be enough for Hutchinson to give him the nod. The Saint Kilda tagger is not prepared to retire just yet, but if Saint Kilda can get to the grand final it will rank as one of Bakers
career highlights.
At the tail end of the season, it will be interesting whether Hutchinson will gamble on Baker whose abrasive and hard tackling can influence games. He may well be the catalyst and driving force within the team that brings a long wait for an AFL title to
a close for Saint Kilda.
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