Liam Baker [merged]

[one-eyed]

DUAL PREMIERSHIP TIGER "FEELING THE PULL” AMIDST HOMECOMING RUMOURS

By Jaiden Sciberras
SEN
5 June 2024

Dual Richmond premiership player Liam Baker is believed to be “genuinely feeling the pull” to return home to Western Australia.

The 26-year-old joined the Tigers via the 2018 rookie draft out of WAFL club Subiaco having grown up in Pingaring near Lake Grace, about four hours out of Perth.

Despite a fruitful career with the Tigers up to this point, SEN’s Sam Edmund reports the 119-gamer is edging closer to a rumoured shift to either West Coast or Fremantle.

“He’s continuing to weigh up his future,” Edmund told SEN’s Whateley.

“Stay at Richmond or return home to Perth and play for West Coast or Fremantle.

“There has been a series of meetings with his manager (Jason Dover from TLA) and the Richmond footy club in the last couple of months.

“Dual premiership player, he has achieved it all at the Tigers at 26 years of age.

“(He is) genuinely feeling the pull from WA and the longer this goes, the more you understand how these things generally play out.”

Edmund suggests that the recent uptick in form of the Eagles could potentially have a say in Baker’s decision-making.

“At the same time, he has been watching from afar these West Coast games late in the weekend with the Harley Reids of the world running amuck over there,” he added.

“The atmosphere and the environment that has returned to West Coast, you can understand the temptation to get back.”

Baker was a key part of the 2019 and 2020 premiership sides, re-signing on a two-year deal in 2022 following a second-place finish in the club’s best and fairest in 2021.

This season, Baker is averaging 22 disposals a game to go with three clearances as one of the most consistent players in a struggling Richmond side.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2024/06/05/dual-premiership-tiger-feeling-the-pull-amidst-homecoming-rumours/

[Tigeritis™©®]

Another great game from the little nugget,  just make him captain now. 

[Tiger Khosh]

Another great game from the little nugget,  just make him captain now. 

He’ll have to sign on the dotted line first.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Which is increasingly unlikely

[Francois Jackson]

i hate to say it but the worst thing we can do is finish above eagles.

Glad we have MClarke over there. Hopefully there is some good will.

Baker is a top 10 pick any day of the year.

[Tiger Khosh]

i hate to say it but the worst thing we can do is finish above eagles.

Glad we have MClarke over there. Hopefully there is some good will.

Baker is a top 10 pick any day of the year.

I can’t imagine bakes would do us dirty like that. Just doesn’t seem the type + it very rarely happens.

[one-eyed]

Liam Baker on 7: https://x.com/MelbFabulist/status/1798884885521657957

Baker - “We may not be winning the flag in the next year or two but we’re building, building, building.”

Sounds invested!

https://x.com/ReeveMcLennan/status/1798691571568914713

[one-eyed]

Richmond gun reportedly holds talks with “super keen” rival club

The two-time premiership Tiger has a decision to make on his future.

Mitch Keating
zerohanger.com
JUNE 22, 2024 - 4:31PM

Off-contract Richmond gun Liam Baker has met with keen rival West Coast, with the dual premiership Tiger heading to Western Australia during the club's bye week.

Baker, a product from regional WA town Pingaring, is yet to settle on his future beyond this year amid interest from the Eagles and Fremantle.

The 26-year-old is said to be considering a return to his home state or remaining at Punt Road, with the hard-nosed utility seen as the club's priority re-signing despite having the likes of Dustin Martin, Dion Prestia, Jack Graham and Dylan Grimes still unsigned for 2025.

Baker, who is in his seventh season with Richmond, is not eligible for free agency, meaning a trade would need to be agreed to for the Tigers player to secure a move elsewhere.

While Fremantle are the better-placed side given their trio of first-round selections for this year's National Draft, it has been revealed that the Eagles have met with Baker during his time back in WA.

According to 7 News reporter Mitch Cleary, Baker held talks with the Perth powerhouse this week during his time off.

"Liam Baker had his break back home, then spent (Thursday) in Perth meeting with the West Coast Eagles," Cleary said on Friday night.

"He's out of contract this year. The Eagles and Dockers are both super keen on Liam Baker.

"The fact he met with the Eagles in his mid-season break gives him something to think about in the run home."

A first-round pick is likely to be involved in any deal for Baker, with West Coast's opening selection currently sitting at Pick 3 - one selection behind Richmond's opening-round pick.

Stepping into a midfield role in the absence of several injured onballers, Baker had one of his best performances this year against West Coast in Round 5, collecting 25 disposals and a goal in a loss at Optus Stadium.

Baker has played 121 games for Richmond since being drafted as a Rookie in 2017, and has finished in the top six for the club's past four best and fairest counts, including an equal-second place finish in 2021.

Boasting strong leadership qualities, Baker is a flexible asset for the Tigers given his ability to play through the middle, across half-back or as a damaging pressure player in the front half of the field.

https://www.zerohanger.com/richmond-gun-reportedly-holds-talks-with-super-keen-rival-club-afl-trade-news-152180/

[Tiger_In_Sicily]

Let him go, his best days are behind him. Trade him now while he has value

[one-eyed]

EAGLES LADING RACE FOR BAKER

West Coast is reportedly seen as the frontrunner for Tigers gun Liam Baker as he weighs up his future and the potential of returning home to Western Australia, according to Channel 7 reporter Mitch Cleary.

While the Dockers have more assets to offer in a trade including three 2024 first-round picks, West Coast, who Baker grew up barracking for, is considered the favourite after recently meeting with the 26-year old while he was in Perth visiting family.

Fremantle didn’t meet with the Richmond co-vice captain.

“Right now he’s weighing up the Eagles, Dockers or to stay at Richmond,” Cleary said on Talking Footy.

“He went back home to WA to Pingaring with his family. On the way to fly back to Melbourne, he met with the Eagles, he didn’t meet with the Dockers on this occasion.

“The Tigers are well aware he’s got plenty of options and have given him plenty of time to think about it.”

Tigers coach Adem Yze this week said the club was taking a hands-off approach with Baker’s future in an attempt to ease pressure on the highly respected clubman.

“We just took that anxiety and pressure off him earlier in the season. Because I could sense that he was just thinking about it the whole time and he’s such a great person and a great team man that it would be weighing on him,” Yze said on SEN radio.

“Those questions are off the table. We just want him to come in and enjoy his footy and when he makes that decision hopefully it is to say with our footy club.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/collingwood-magpies/afl-2024trade-news-rumours-whispers-collingwood-magpies-interest-in-logan-mcdonald-sydney-swans-west-coast-eagles-favourites-for-liam-baker-fremantle-dockers-richmond-tigers-latest-news/news-story/ce58f9b8c7dd4281f4dc9791ddf3768d

[MintOnLamb]

Remember that RFC gave this guy a chance when no one wanted him.

Had turned into a fantastic player and what a great bloke

[one-eyed]

Liam Baker (Richmond) and his potential move home

“I think it'll become clearer in a month or two,” Duffield told SEN WA The Run Home.

“I think it's more likely that he comes home than stays at Richmond, but it's still a possibility that he might stay at Richmond.

“Over east, they're saying definitely West Coast if he comes, I still think both WA clubs are very much in the mix.

“I think Liam Baker will try and be good to Richmond on the way out if he leaves, which means he'll be looking at the compensation package and what draft picks might be available in terms of the trade.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2024/06/27/duffields-thoughts-and-whispers-on-playing-futures-of-baker-barrass/

[Hard Roar Tiger]

It’s not up to Baker, it’s between the clubs interested and Richmond. Richmond’s job is to create competition between the 2 Perth clubs and all Bakes has to do is tell both clubs he will go to either.
If he doesn’t play ball then we threaten to pick him up in the December draft.

[the claw]

Liam Baker on 7: https://x.com/MelbFabulist/status/1798884885521657957

Baker - “We may not be winning the flag in the next year or two but we’re building, building, building.”

Sounds invested!

https://x.com/ReeveMcLennan/status/1798691571568914713

Did anyone bother to ask him what building blocks we have to build with.
Oh i see, Baker is following the club line that keeps supporters buying memberships. Because a moron can see we have not had access to high quality young players for a long while and its a long build rather a quick fix.

Why do we even have these threads where players have something to say. Its all spiel.

[Diocletian]

He was about to add "I mean we've got Harley Reid and you can build a premiership side around him..." but luckily he remembered just in time and was able to pull himself up...