West Coast’s Liam Baker has dodged a suspension following a contentious forearm strike to Adelaide’s James Peatling during their match on Sunday. The match review officer, Michael Christian, ruled the incident did not meet the threshold for ‘serious misconduct’ that would warrant a ban.
In a post-match press conference, West Coast coach Andrew McQualter downplayed the severity of the incident, which had sparked a brawl. Former Essendon coach James Hird, however, argued that Baker’s actions were serious enough to deserve a multi-game suspension. Hird highlighted that as West Coast faced a significant deficit of 60 points in the closing moments of the game, Baker’s decision to push Peatling and then strike him in the back of the head was a deliberate act that echoed foul play.
Hird expressed concern over how events unfolded, stating, “If you get three weeks for bumping… that [the Baker incident] is a deliberate act.” He considered it more serious than a misjudged tackle, as Baker’s actions appeared intentional, aiming to influence rather than inadvertently harm.
When pressed about the incident’s implications, McQualter maintained that Baker seemed unconcerned, noting that the reaction from other Crows players was more alarming. He instead pointed out the team’s issues with giving away high free kicks, citing a total of 12 during the match against Adelaide, which he deemed a technical flaw requiring attention.
The incident escalated as Riley Thilthorpe, nearby at the moment, responded by shoving Baker. This led to Izak Rankine joining the fray, resulting in a chaotic brawl on the field.
Despite the controversy, Baker will not face disciplinary action, as the league forms a response to tackle incidents of foul play, with some commentators calling for stricter measures to prevent such occurrences in future matches. As West Coast deals with these challenges, the need for improvement in their discipline and technique remains a key focus moving forward.