Sunday Shout: Former Saint Steven Baker stepping into the ring to help raise mental health awareness

Steven Baker was a poster boy for effort over talent during his time at the Saints. Now those traits are set to be put to the test again – all for a very special cause.

Lester Ellis is training former St Kilda player Steven Baker ahead of his upcoming fight against Damian Lock on May 3 at Melbourne Pavilion. Picture: Mark Stewart

Stevie “Bam Bam” Baker is a poster boy for effort over talent, a little bloke who used most tricks in the book to play 203 games and win St Kilda’s best and fairest award 20 years ago.

Now Baker, 44, is taking his highly-competitive nature to the world of pugilism where on May 3 he will fight former Carlton player Damien Lock over three two-minute rounds at The Pavilion in Kensington to help raise mental health awareness (Teamellis.com.au).

JON ANDERSON: Where did the boxing bug begin?

STEVEN BAKER: It started when I called out my old sparring mate Steve J this time last year. Team Ellis reached out with a date which was just six weeks away, too short notice for Stevie (Johnson) but Brodie Holland put his hand up and I won on points.

JA: If you ever do fight Stevie J in the future, you realise you can’t use some of those tactics from your AFL days?

SB: What, so I can’t stand on his feet with my sharpened stops, or punch his injured hand, or belt the back of his head?

Former St Kilda player Steven Baker. Picture: Mark Stewart

JA: Behave yourself Steven. What are your plans for Damien Lock?

SB: I will have to knock him out fast because he’s quick and fit. I have a reasonably hard punch with my right and have developed the left rip.

JA: It’s a hell of a way to make a living, so why are you doing it?

SB: I always wanted to get involved in fighting, doing some MMA training when I retired. It’s a very humbling experience, particularly when I get in the ring sparring Clay Smith who toys with me. And I want to raise mental health awareness.

JA: What do you do for a crust these days?

SB: I have a business called Build Grit where I do a lot of school talks on resilience and effort being more important than talent.

JA: To the Saints. Have you liked what you’ve seen?

SB: They are having a bit of a crack. Ross (Lyon) absolutely demands effort and he’s getting it. He’s very methodical with his game plan, having a position for every time of the game. Inside he had an oval with all our names on it, if you were caught out of structure he would give you a slap on the wrist after games.

JA: St Kilda has in recent times been criticised for not having star players, unlike the group you played with?

SB: Jack Sinclair, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Rowan Marshall are all genuine stars of the game. And the rest of the team are working together, unlike last year.

JA: Is there a moment in one of your three grand finals where you think “what if”?

Baker was never afraid of getting among it on the field.

SB: When Zac Dawson went for the spoil and missed it by an inch so (Matthew) Scarlett could toe poke to (Gary) Ablett. Even in the Collingwood draw the amount of time the ball was in our forward line.

JA: Are people surprised when they meet you that you aren’t actually a mongrel?

SB: Yes, often over a beer although it normally takes about an hour before some bloke says, “I can’t believe it, I thought you were going to be a total c … head”. I love that (Brayden) Maynard bloke at Collingwood, him and Toby Greene. Anyone who tries to break the rules (laughter).

JA: So who do you focus on when watching football?

SB: I love the taggers. I remember running past Josh Carr one game and just touching knuckles in recognition of how hard the tagging caper is. Every opposition player hates you and every opposition supporter hates you. It didn’t get much better than that.

Tickets for the Baker-Lock bout are available at teamellis.com.au

Archibald Prize entrant John Hillier combined some late nights and a couple bottles of wine, with a muddy splash of artistic license, to mark a 30-year friendship with legendary jockey Damien Oliver.

Hillier, son of renowned racing journalist Keith, painted a stony-faced Oliver in iconic colours of 2002 Melbourne Cup-winner Media Puzzle.

Oliver lost older brother Jason in a tragic riding accident just days before he piloted Media Puzzle to an emotion-charged victory at Flemington in the race that stops a nation.

Hillier said Oliver’s face, “beautiful bone structure”, eyes and skin texture made for a striking profile.

“When someone has got a few lifelines it makes it a little bit easier (to paint),” Hillier said.

“Staring down the barrel and those beautiful colours on the black background.

“He asked ‘do you want me to smile’ and I said no mate, it’s the opposite, I wanted to paint him serious and respect the tragedy and triumph of that week.”

Damien Oliver with a portrait of himself.

Hillier added the mud splatter for extra pop.

“Racing purists would know it wasn’t muddy that day he won on Media Puzzle but the mud was a bit of artistic license,” Hillier said.

“I dug some dirt out of the garden, mixed up some mud and said whack the some goggles on and off we went.

“I’m really glad I did it because it gives the painting a different dimension, when the silks are really clean it doesn’t have that impact, so I’m glad I did that.”

Hillier was a finalist in the 2023 Archibald Prize with a portrait of Australian boxer Harry Garside.

This year’s finalist will be announced on May 1.

“Personally to be a two-time Archibald finalist would be extraordinary but to do it with a mate of 30 years would be absolutely amazing, even better,” Hillier said.

GATHER ROUND LATEST: LOVE FOR MALI GROWS

The undoubted star of Gather Round is football-loving South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, 44, who on Friday spoke at five different lunches where his magnetic personality had guests wishing for two possibilities.

From virtually all who listened, there was a desire expressed for him to throw his hat into the Federal politics ring, while the overwhelming response from large numbers of Victorians was very much “can you go into the political draft so we can get you to our state”.

Part of the annual activities in Adelaide for Gather Round include a Friday luncheon at the SkyCity casino organised by progressive Melbourne-based insurance brokers McLardy McShane.

Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas. Picture: Mark Brake/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Star of the show was an extremely funny raconteur named Jimmy Buckley, 65, a three-time Carlton premiership player who in recent times has won respect for being four years sober. Buckley recalled how in 1984, Victoria's chairman of selectors Ted Whitten implored he and Wayne Johnston during halftime to “go out and belt the crap out of them, and don’t worry about being reported because we will get you off”.

PUNTER’S WIN FOR THE AGES

It was a win for the ages on Saturday, April 5, when one Melbourne punter reaped 166.389.78 for a $500 outlay on a 10-leg, horse racing multi.

It went like this: Morphettville: Sir Now $1.70 win; Caulfield: Statuario $2 win; Morphettville: Blue Hotel $1.65 place; Randwick: Vinrock $1.60 place; Ascot: Jaz Session $2.05 win; Ascot: Snitzalatte $1.50 place; Ascot: Watch Me Rock $2.05 win; Randwick: Aeliana $2.40 win; Ascot; Sail Session $1.55 win; and Ascot: Machine Gun Gracie $1.70 win.

Remarkably, all 10 horses won.

She’s the Gun filly!

Winning the Listed Natasha two weeks back, Machine Gun Gracie makes it 2 stakes wins on end (3 from 5 overall) in the Group 3 @drummondgolf WA Oaks over 2400m at Ascot.

Among 9 stakes winners for Alwyn Park Stud’s Encosta de Lago stallion, Maschino, Machine… pic.twitter.com/22YVAA86kz

— Aushorse (@Aushorse_TBA) April 5, 2025

BIG SHOES TO FILL FOR FORMER BLUE, CAT

Former Geelong and Carlton player Darcy Lang, 29, has inherited some very big shoes.

He was recently being appointed to fill the role left by the recent tragic death of the much-loved Troy Selwood as head of football at Geelong Grammar.

“I have contacted Joel and Scott (Selwood) who were extremely understanding and gave me their full support. I’m approaching the role with care and respect after Troy set up an amazing program,” Lang said.

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