Aaron Baker is an old soul wrapped in the bearlike body of a young man. And the 22-year-old's maturity-beyond-his-years resonance has a lot to do with the company he keeps.
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"I learn from a lot of older people that I know," he said, adding that he enjoyed being with people whose heads were "screwed on" the right way.
On this day the qualified carpenter, who works as an insurance estimator but dreams of owning his own building company, was also emitting his usual chilled vibe.
![Aaron Baker has been a welcome addition to Tamworth. Picture by Mark Bode Aaron Baker has been a welcome addition to Tamworth. Picture by Mark Bode](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/b1d76240-1d4a-478b-beca-5d5c731275c7.jpg/r0_0_3556_1807_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
His easygoing nature helped him seamlessly transition from city to country life when he moved from his hometown of Sydney to Tamworth with his partner, Talisha Mura, in August last year. Mura's aunt and uncle own Papa Luigi's in Peel Street.
Linking with City United was also instrumental in aiding the talented allrounder's relocation. And at Riverside 1 on Saturday, October 21, the reigning premiers will commence a two-dayer against Bective East.
"Nothing's easy, nothing's been handed to me," Baker said. "I've always worked for everything, done what I could."
"Moving up here, away from family, was definitely a challenge," he added. "But, I suppose, being so easygoing it was a lot easier to get up here and enjoy the lifestyle a bit more."
Relaxed, easygoing and confident were the three words Baker used to describe himself. His confidence was "definitely something" he had to "work at", he said.
"Growing up, I was not as confident ... But now I feel, like, if I wanna go try something, go and do it."
That's what did when he moved to Tamworth. Ditto when he joined the Kangaroos for the 2023 season, despite having limited AFL experience.
But, after a standout debut senior men's season, he was named at forward pocket in AFL North West's team of the year.
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"Moving up here, I thought, I'll go give it a go. If it doesn't work, I can always come back [to Sydney]. But I haven't looked back since."
When asked what he feared most about getting older, Baker said: "The body ageing," adding: "Sometimes I feel a lot older than I am."
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