Garry Baker
Melbourne, Footscray and Sydney · “Bull”
AFL career
147 games126 goals
- Debut
- R1 1972 v ESS3 Apr 1972
- Most recent
- R21 1983 v RCH21 Aug 1983
Stats
1983 | SYD | 6 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 5.3 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
1981 | MEL | 12 | 8.7 | 8.1 | 16.8 | 6.8 | 4.0 | 2.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
1980 | MEL | 16 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 14.9 | 5.4 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 0.7 |
1979 | MEL | 16 | 10.4 | 7.5 | 17.9 | 7.5 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 0.3 |
1978 | MEL | 22 | 11.5 | 4.9 | 16.4 | 8.1 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
1977 | MEL | 17 | 7.7 | 3.8 | 11.5 | 5.0 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 0.6 |
1976 | MEL | 8 | 6.4 | 2.5 | 8.9 | 4.9 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.6 |
1975 | MEL | 16 | 6.3 | 2.2 | 8.5 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
1974 | MEL | 20 | 10.1 | 3.0 | 13.0 | 5.8 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 0.5 |
1973 | FSC | 13 | 5.9 | 1.7 | 7.6 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
1972 | FSC | 1 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Bio
Recruited from Meeniyan in Gippsland, Garry "Bull" Baker began his VFL journey at Footscray, where he struggled to break into the senior side over two seasons. A trade to Melbourne in exchange for Greg Parke proved to be the turning point, as Baker flourished in the red and blue to become a cult hero at the MCG. Donning the number one guernsey and later sporting a distinctive beard, he developed into a premier ruckman who could drift forward and kick goals. His individual highlight came in 1978 when he won the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal as Melbourne's best and fairest player.
On the field, Baker was known for his strong hands and ability to take contested marks, often acting as a physical enforcer to protect his smaller midfielders. Despite his talent, his prime years were severely hampered by recurring knee injuries, which saw him miss the entire 1982 senior season. Deemed surplus to requirements by the Demons, he was sold to the Sydney Swans for a nominal fee to add experience to their list. He managed just half a dozen games in Sydney before his body forced him into retirement, leaving a legacy as one of Melbourne's most memorable characters of the 1970s.
Profile
- Born
- 24 Mar 1953 (age 73y 211d)
- Height
- 193 cm
- Weight
- 95 kg
Teams
Honours
- Melbourne B&F1978
- Top 10
- 1979, 1981
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Meeniyan in Gippsland, Garry "Bull" Baker began his VFL journey at Footscray, where he struggled to break into the senior side over two seasons. A trade to Melbourne in exchange for Greg Parke proved to be the turning point, as Baker flourished in the red and blue to become a cult hero at the MCG. Donning the number one guernsey and later sporting a distinctive beard, he developed into a premier ruckman who could drift forward and kick goals. His individual highlight came in 1978 when he won the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal as Melbourne's best and fairest player.
On the field, Baker was known for his strong hands and ability to take contested marks, often acting as a physical enforcer to protect his smaller midfielders. Despite his talent, his prime years were severely hampered by recurring knee injuries, which saw him miss the entire 1982 senior season. Deemed surplus to requirements by the Demons, he was sold to the Sydney Swans for a nominal fee to add experience to their list. He managed just half a dozen games in Sydney before his body forced him into retirement, leaving a legacy as one of Melbourne's most memorable characters of the 1970s.