Demon Oskar Baker pays tribute to mother after honouring her with AFL debut

Oskar Baker promised his mother he’d make it all the way to the top. And now, two years after she lost her battle with cancer, the Demon says she continues to inspire him.

Jayden Hunt and Oskar Baker. Pic: AFL Photos

Oskar Baker applies the black arm band as the first step in his pre-game routine lest he forget it in the chaos of an AFL warm-up.

Then comes his late mother’s name Trudie, penned in black texta on his wrist tape as an ever-present reminder of her memory.

But in the two years since she passed away, he had never before felt like this.

Never felt like her spirit was accompanying him around the ground as an actual presence.

Yet there he was on AFL debut, honouring a deathbed promise to his mother with the feeling she was riding every bump alongside him.

“When she was dying the whole family went up and said our goodbyes. I made a promise to her and I said I would make it in the AFL and be an AFL player,” Baker told the Herald Sun this week.

“It makes it even more significant and special in a way to be able to do that and live my dream.

Trudie Baker with son Oskar, who’s fulfilling his promise to his mum.

“At the jumper presentation (before his Round 9 debut) dad said in his speech that I had made a promise to her and was about to fulfil that promise. It just clicked and from then on I was able to focus on footy but in a way I felt like she was coming around the ground with me.”

Three games into his AFL career, Baker has been hard to miss.

Happy to own his “Ginger Ninja” nickname, his breakneck speed and eye-catching performances have impressed the Demons faithful.

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And Melbourne’s viral video, as father Lee talked about him fulfilling his promise to his mother two years after her death, has been watched over a million times.

In a month in which Melbourne players have battled their own grief over the shock death of Brad Green’s wife Anna, Baker has four torrid years of experience.

Trudie was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, before a 2015 recurrence that eventually turned into bone cancer before it spread into her liver in the final days of her life in May 2017.

A promise fulfilled. ❤

Oskar Baker's debut was special, in more ways than one.#MyHeartBeatsTrue pic.twitter.com/AnYwROj7yu

— Melbourne FC (@melbournefc) May 21, 2019

The 21-year-old from Brisbane’s inner north is still in awe of his mother’s determination to fight until those last torrid days.

“At the end it all happened pretty quickly. She was doing chemo and then had to have blood transfusions and had low blood pressure and went into hospital feeling light-headed and with no energy. They had a set of scans and basically told her she only had a few days to live.

“I guess it might sound weird, but in a way it was kind of a relief to see her out of pain. I would come home from footy and she would be lying in bed with no energy and it was tough to witness. She had been in pain and struggling for so many years.

“I look back at the times before that, when she wasn’t sick and it makes you smile about the memories we made and the type of person she was.

“I think of the little things as a kid, where growing up she wouldn’t miss a game of anything I played in. Even if she was working she would take work off for a couple of hours to surprise me.”

Baker on the run, with his black arm band tribute to his mum. Pic: Getty Images

Baker celebrates a Dees goal with teammate Christian Petracca last week. Pic: AFL Photos

When Baker’s video spread like wildfire he was touched by the instant feedback from players like Crow Hugh Greenwood, who also lost his mother Andree to cancer in 2017.

“A lot of teammates knew my story but I guess the wider community and even some other AFL players like Hugh and Eddie Betts reached out and passed on their thoughts and said how emotional it made me feel. Hugh has been through something similar, so to have that connection is pretty special.

“Dad is soaking up the attention (from the video) but the support we have received has been pretty overwhelming. I think when you watch the video it’s pretty apparent how much it means to me and my family. Ever since mum passed away it is something we have wanted to do for her, to share how much she means.

“I had such an awesome upbringing. She was really cheeky and could be a smart-arse at times and only wanted the best for me and my sister (Charlotte).

Oskar (wearing cap) with mum and family.

Baker and the Demons will try to upset the Pies on Monday. Pic: AFL Photos

“My sister comes from a netball background and I played rugby at school and aths, basketball and AFL and if I played a bad game she would tell me how it was. Once I had played a bad game and she had done the motherly thing and said I played well and I told her I didn’t and from that point on, she let me know it.”

On Monday the dashing half forward will try to build on those three contests, including his two-goal, 16-possession game against GWS and last week’s impressive 21-touch contest in the nailbiter against Melbourne.

Father Lee’s speech at that jumper presentation talked about him receiving his mother’s best qualities and playing his role for Melbourne.

But as Lee Baker said to his son, “If you get a chance mate, take them on”.

Now that he has fulfilled a promise to his mum Trudie, he is making a decent fist of dad’s wish as well.