West Coast Midfielder Jack Graham says it is a special moment for Liam Baker to lead the club he supported growing up, after being named stand-in captain for the remainder of the season. 

The 27-year-old got the call-up after the club accepted Liam Duggan’s two-match ban for rough conduct after a third-quarter incident with Adelaide’s Riley Thilthorpe last Sunday. 

With Duggan suspended, McGovern retired, and Allen and Waterman injured, the choice came down to the two former Tigers, with Graham having just returned from a four-match suspension for a homophobic slur against GWS in Round 17.

The Pingaring product, who had vice-captain experience at Richmond, was given the honour ahead of his 150th AFL match against the Western Bulldogs. 

Baker and Graham both spent seven years at Richmond together before joining West Coast ahead of the 2025 season, where both players were named in the leadership group. 

When asked what kind of captain Baker would be, Graham says he doesn’t think much will change from how he normally goes about his footy.

“Exactly what you see every week from him, just attacking the ball or the player hard. Having a red hot crack, flying his body around, going back with the flight,” he told SportFM. 

“What he’s seen like through his whole career. I don’t think much will change, but I think it’s been an absolute honour for Bakes to captain West Coast. 

“I know how much a West Coast fan was and would always speak about them back at Richmond, and when he was younger, growing up. 

“So really, really proud of Bakes. It’s a pretty special moment, and it’s also at his 150th this week, so it’s worked in well.” 

After a run of poor performances in the weeks leading up to last weekend’s match, critics were not anticipating the wooden spooners to take it to the Crows the way they did. 

West Coast were poised to cause a major upset to the provisional minor premiers for much of the game, but Adelaide got over the line by 9 points in the final 10 minutes. 

Graham says that level of performance shown on Sunday needs to be the baseline for the team looking forward. 

“Our intent to defend that was the main messaging going into the game on the weekend, and it is most weekends. That’s where we’re at the moment,” he said.

“We can’t just pick and choose when we want to do it. We have to do it every single week. If we bring that intent to defend, you can see what it does to sides. They question their skills and make them fumble and play the game on our terms.

“That’s got to be the baseline, and that should be what our fans should be seeing for the rest of the year and going forward.” 

This weekend, they play the Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium, who this time two years ago, they left stunned and effectively ended their finals hopes to the tune of 7 points. 

Graham says he would love to see a repeat of this. 

“We can’t just be happy with that one effort and coming close,” he said. 

“We want to be a football club that wins games at football, but that’s the baseline that we’ve got to bring for the rest of the year and going forward. 

“We can’t play finals and the Bulldogs, they’re in a position where they can or can’t. We would love to have a crack at ruining their September.”

IMAGE: West Coast Eagles