Speculation Liam Baker [reportedly headed west]

[Jeremias]

Time for some house cleaning.

1) Do not drag discussions or individual posts over here from other threads or boards.

Feel free to respond to those posts wherever they were posted, if you so choose.

2) Enough with the personal attacks. It’s a long season and this one may go the distance, so if you want to remain a part of the discussion, do it respectfully.

We will use thread bans and infractions if necessary.

 

[freo_leo29]

Having watched Bakers B&F speech ....the deal must already be sorted.

Surely.

Nah but hes OOC so knows the trade goes through

Shai had to bite his lip in his speech (noting he literally bit his lip when thinking about saying something lol)

 

[tiger_tough]

Nah but hes OOC so knows the trade goes through

Shai had to bite his lip in his speech (noting he literally bit his lip when thinking about saying something lol)

You're giving him too much credit. You obviously haven't heard him speak publicly before.

 

[Moo]

You're giving him too much credit. You obviously haven't heard him speak publicly before.

I have not.

No Darcy Moore

 

[freo_leo29]

You're giving him too much credit. You obviously haven't heard him speak publicly before.

I watched the footage, he literally bit his lip and then wrapped up the speech

 

[banzai]

I watched the footage, he literally bit his lip and then wrapped up the speech

His speech at the Brownlow when he won mark of the year that time, was just as awkward as todays.

 

[RockJobster0312]

Agree, I do remember back in 2020 (I think it was) there was some rumblings. We were in a completely different situation back then - which is entirely my point.

Even if we have chased Baker in the past it's not up to West Coast to have to hamper their own rebuild. I'm sure you would feel the same way if it was Duggan nominating Richmond right now.

What West Coast should have done and what it has done are now two different things.

The reality is that West Coast has convinced Liam Baker to chose it to play for moving forward. If it didn’t want to jeopardize rebuild, it frankly shouldn’t have gone after Baker. But it has so that discussion is frankly moot.

So here we are; and now the onus is on West Coast to satisfy Richmond on a trade. If that is for a pick that is later than 13 then so be it. But if it isn’t, then it’s on West Coast to work through what that deal could be.

Alternatively, West Coast could try to convince Baker to go to the PSD and hope that Richmond don’t match at pick 1; but I doubt that is something that Baker himself would want, West Coast would want or Richmond would allow.

If the shoe was on the other foot and Richmond convinced Liam Duggan to play for it, then the exact same philosophy would apply. You can’t convince someone to play for you then not do what is needed to facilitate a trade (on the assumption that the other team is acting reasonable). The difference is we haven’t tried to convince anyone to join our club in 2025 and to seek a trade to facilitate that. Richmond hasn’t jeopardized its draft hand in that respect.

The other aspect to this is that West Coast’s List Manager started 2024 wearing a Richmond polo. Matt Clarke would have a great idea of how Richmond values Baker and what it would take to get a deal done long before Baker officially chose West Coast.

 

[Big_Birdy]

If its a straight swap for 13 then its a stinker for Eagles.

But it won't be. 13 may be involved but Eagles will get something along with Baker to rate his value at around the pick 18-20 mark.

Probably some haggling as to whether it is a pick this year (which we would want) and a pick next year (which Tigers probably want).

 

[Gavin Excell]

Having watched Bakers B&F speech ....the deal must already be sorted.

Surely.

It was a profound 30 seconds

Look I appreciate not everyone's an orator but you'd think you would realise the sensitivity of the moment and at least prepare something for the B&F that shows some effort. Seemed liked he winged it

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

Nah. He's just a dumb bastard. Can play though..

And you lot were saying he was a chance at your next captain. Your club would’ve been in a deal of trouble if that were the case listening to the speech

 

[dean33]

And you lot were saying he was a chance at your next captain. Your club would’ve been in a deal of trouble if that were the case listening to the speech

100%. Not a captains arseh*le listening to that speech. Him and Bolton could have at least prepared something to say. At least Rioli put some time and effort into his speech.