Winning a premiership with Narrabri isn't the only thing top of Joe Baker's 2024 season wish list.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The dream scenario also includes getting to run out alongside older brother, Tom.
So far over the course of their footy journeys, different circumstances have dictated that that hasn't eventuated.
"We missed out when we were both at Farrer. I was a bit too young to play footy with him," Joe reflected to the Leader following the Blue Boars win over Gunnedah.
Since then life has taken them in different directions.
"But hopefully we can do it soon enough," he continued.
Wish and you shall receive.
After being listed on the bench for their season opener against Moree but not getting on and then missing the Red Devils game with illness, Tom has been named in the starting side to take on Scone at Dangar Park this Saturday.
Ironically he'll wear the 13 jersey his younger sibling has starred in the past two weeks, with Joe switching to fullback.
"We're just trying to get our best available 15 on the field in the best positions," Blue Boars coach Craig Gleeson explained.
With the women also in action, it will make it a triumvirate of Baker's suiting up.
Sister Shaine Maunder has returned to the field after having a baby last year.
"She's going really well," Joe said.
"She's nearly better than both of us put together."
That is saying something, going on what he has shown through the opening rounds of the season.
He was brilliant against the Red Devils, the 22-year-old looking like he had spiders on him as he carved his way through the defence. Nearly every time he touched the ball, he beat at least the first tackle.
There was also the two tries, the second of which had the crowd on their feet, well the Narrabri contingent anyway, as he chased through on a chip kick from centre partner Will McDonnell.
Not that it was anything they hadn't seen before, with Baker scoring off a similar play against the Bulls.
"We did a grubber last week and a chip kick this week so might have to try something else again next week," he said with a laugh.
Originally, he explained, they did it at training just as a bit of a joke, but after noticing that there was no fullback in the line thought they'd give it a go.
It wasn't just though Baker's attacking game that was impressive; he also came up with some big defence.
His allround effort saw him hailed by the players, and Gleeson, as their best.
"Bake's is a very good footballer," Gleeson said.
"He's very elusive and he's a strong ball runner."
He's excited to see how he develops over what is his second season back in Blue Boars colours after returning home from Sydney in late 2022.
Representing GPS when he was at The Armidale School, he moved down to 'the big smoke' post-school with a couple of his school-mates to play with Warringah.
"It was a good experience," Baker, who was the late hero for the Blue Boars in their crucial win over Pirates last season, reflected.
"I picked up a lot of coaching things that I implement in my game nowadays."
But city life wasn't for him.
"Too big, too busy," he said.
He also wasn't a fan of sitting in the car for sometimes up to an hour to travel the 10km to work.
In the other Round 4 fixtures Moree host Gunnedah whilst Inverell make the trip down to Quirindi.
