Steven Baker

[Cicjose]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/teams/former-st-kilda-tagger-steven-baker-cops-life-ban-from-football/story-e6frf9n6-1226607554667

Baker, who played 203 games for the Saints, was called before the MPNFL tribunal after an incident
that left Red Hill player Blake Thompson with a broken jaw on March 9.

[elephants]

Thug.

[Ziplock]

if you actually read the article, it's pretty dodgy.

there's no footage of it, none of the umpires saw it,

'"I ran to intercept the Red Hill ball carrier, but a couple of seconds before I got there I noticed another Red Hill player (Thompson) was moving to shepherd his ball carrier,'' Baker said in his statement.

"I braced myself and we made contact. We clashed heads and we both went to ground. I did not raise my arm or fist.''

it's pretty harsh.

I actually really dislike the 16 week ban rule. Like, you can be playing footy at a senior level from the time you're 14... that could be up to like a 30 year career, and you get given a life ban for essentially have a 1 week suspension every 2 years?

I mean, I see the logic behind it, but honestly I think it should be tweaked. Like, it should be after 16 weeks you can be banned for life- your record should be assessable to see if you're enough of a dick and danger to be banned.

I mean, in Bakers case, he would get a life ban anyway for being a dick, but I've heard of scenarios where it's been pretty harsh.

[Justin Bieber]

I thought he got life for the hit...

[pyronerd]

the 16 week rule is completely stupid IMO

having said that, Baker has a history of serious suspensions in the past, and if this was serious deliberate act then I could understand giving him the ban, but this wasn't, there is no real evidence even to suggest he is guilty of anything in this instance.

personally I would bring in 3 strike rule, if you chalk up 3 6 week+ suspensions over your career, then a life ban can be enforced

[Bill Manspeaker]

can he contest it?

surely they can't ban a bloke for life when there's no actual evidence?

[Anubis]

bunch of pussies. Baker played footy like a real man

[Ziplock]

can he contest it?

surely they can't ban a bloke for life when there's no actual evidence?

yeah, he's contesting it.

[Bill Manspeaker]

just read on fox sports news that Baker's ban has been overturned and he's free to play again. good news for him

[Cicjose]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/former-st-kilda-hard-man-steven-baker-has-his-life-time-ban-overturned/story-e6frf9jf-1226617707142

The one-time AFL tagger had been banned for life after a suspension in a practice match last month resulted in him exceeding the number of suspended matches allowed for players in lower levels of the game.

But Baker and Sorrento won their appeal tonight when the charge was upheld, allowing the 32-year-old to resume playing.