RLMD: Michael Baker set for his second coaching stint with Wests

Wests has locked in the first two key pieces of its new-look football department for 2024, including a new head coach. ALL THE DETAILS.

Michael Baker first coached the Wests A-grade side in 2014. Picture: Supplied.

Wests president Robert Downey and his board cast the net far and wide in its search for a new head coach.

But the man they were looking for was right under their nose.

Now, almost three months since the club started seeking expressions of interest following Jake Eden’s decision to step away from the role, the services of Michael Baker have been secured for 2024 and beyond.

“We interviewed people from Mackay, people from outside Mackay, people who knew the club, people who didn’t know the club, so we cast a pretty wide net,” Downey said.

“We just couldn’t find the right fit for what we needed and where we were as a club, before coming down to two candidates.”

The second was Reon Rodwell, who’s been appointed as Wests football operations manager for the 2024 season, and will be largely tasked with taking care of recruiting.

Baker’s a life member of Wests, having notched 224 A-grade appearances between 1986 and 2002.

He also previously coached the A-grade side from 2014 to 2016, and is on the board of the Leagues Club.

Michael Baker in his playing days. Picture: Supplied.

His sons Nick and Dallas are also heavily involved in the club, with Nick having played over 100 A-grade games, and Dallas the premiership captain of this season’s reserves side.

“This period of success that we’ve had, Mick was the coach that laid the foundation for that,” Downey said.

“He’s looking to bring back that professionalism to the club, and make sure we don’t lose all the good work that we’ve built up over the last nine to ten years.”

Wests figured in six consecutive grand finals between 2017 and 2022, winning three premierships, including the remarkable drought-breaking win in 2018.

Wests endured a testing campaign this season to finish just seventh with four wins, but were the only side to beat eventual premiers Magpies, and claimed the reserves premiership.

For these reasons, Downey believes the club isn’t in need of a “full reset”.

“It was a bit of bad luck with some injuries and suspensions to key players,” Downey said.

“Some of that was the result of an ageing group of core players which we’re looking at reinvigorating with some signings over the next few months.

Michael Baker. Picture: Supplied.

“We don’t want to get to the point where we have to have a full rebuild, we just want to maintain the good work that’s been put into the club for the past 15 years.

“Last time Mick took over (in 2014) we were in a similar position where we didn’t have a good year and wanted to improve, so he’s been there and done that.”

Baker’s coaching resume also includes an under-18 and under-21s premiership with Wests, time spent as the coach of the North Queensland Cowboys junior academy, and two seasons as an assistant for the Queensland Maroons under-18 side.

He’s also been an assistant coach at the Mackay Cutters, including the only year they won the Queensland Cup in 2013, making him the second former Cutters assistant to join the RLMD coaching ranks this off-season.

Downey revealed securing the signatures of Baker and Rodwell were merely the first steps in the club’s quest to establish a new-look football department.

“We’re looking to split jobs into smaller jobs and assign people to specific tasks to make it run more smoothly and professionally,” Downey said.

“We’re in the process of getting strength and conditioning people and all the other support roles, just to make sure the club can be professional and Mick can coach.

“Other people will do all the other things around him, and everyone concentrates on their job and makes sure they’re doing a successful job to help the club move forward.”