Baker already excited for 2024 WAFLW season with Swans

Naomi Baker finished the season as vice-captain for the Swan Districts' WAFLW team and while she wishes they went further in the finals, just to get there was a tremendous achievement and she's already excited for 2024.

It was a slow start to the WAFLW season for Swan Districts losing the opening four matches, but they then got rolling impressively to win eight of the last 10 to book in a place in the finals once again in 2023.

While that ended in the first semi-final against East Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, there was plenty to like about the way Swan Districts rallied together and can now look to build on looking towards 2024.

Baker herself had a slow start to the season due to a knee injury and didn't play until Round 7, but by that stage Swans had started their winning run. Once Jess Cox ruptured her ACL and Demi Liddle stepped up to be captain, Baker became vice-captain.

The 21-year-old became an important part of the Swan Districts resurgence this season once she got back into the team but already even just days after that first semi-final loss, she's already excited for what 2024 could hold.

"I'm already thinking about next year myself and I'm already really excited about it. I think next year will be so exciting because we know now what we can do because of the way we finished this season," Baker said.

"It's just another opportunity to keep growing that connection and the culture, and growing as a group. That's really exciting and having girls that have come over to contribute so much to the team, it's just exciting to keep that going and see where it leads us.

"I have a lot of faith in the girls and I admire how they go about things so I think next year will just be about keeping on improving and growing, and I'm already very excited about it."

Going back to the start of the season and it was tough viewing for Baker to be frustrated by being sidelined with a knee injury and seeing Swan Districts lose those opening four matches.

However, following the week off in Round 5 over Easter, everything started to click and Swans were able to win the next seven matches and ultimately eight of the last 10 with Baker coming back into the side from the Round 7 win against East Perth onwards.

"Obviously at the start of the season it was pretty rocky. We lost our first four games and that was pretty crazy, and then we just managed to somehow switch on and connect as a group," she said.

"As soon as we did that and started winning, every game after that went so well and we just gelled together so well as a team.

"It was pretty amazing to see the flip from the first four rounds compared to the rest of the season after that. It was crazy but it was amazing at the same time and I'm very grateful that we did make the finals in the end."

After those opening four losses of the season, the bye came at the perfect time over Easter and the playing group spent some time together away from the football club just to work on their chemistry and bonding.

It certainly worked because they won the next seven matches and ended up playing finals, and Baker was delighted with the way the whole group together.

"I think this season we've tried to push more about doing things to create an environment where we're all really connected as a group to help build that culture, and that connection aspect," Baker said.

"So definitely we sat down on that bye weekend and reflected on our values and trademarks that we'd set in pre-season, and talked about if we were living them. Something must have clicked in everyone's head because it seemed to work and it just flowed after that so it was pretty good."

Even though Swan Districts were able to make a stirring run into the finals, it wasn’t all smooth sailing even during that impressive seven-game winning streak.

Inspirational captain Jess Cox went down with a knee injury when she ruptured her ACL in Round 10 against West Perth. While that was a cruel blow for Cox herself and the team, what it meant was that everyone else had to step up in her absence.

That happened in spades including Demi Liddle stepping up to be captain and then usual deputy vice-captain Baker becoming the vice-captain. While Baker was devastated for Cox, she was proud of how the rest of the team stepped up.

"It was obviously devastating what happened to Coxy. I've been there myself and it's something that no one ever wants to go through," Baker said.

"We were all devastating for Coxy that it happened to her especially because she works so hard and she's so dedicated, and she's such a good captain and role model around the club.

"It was really hard losing her but at the same time it has allowed for the other leaders in our leadership group to also step up, and definitely grow with their leadership.

"It also shows that we have enough depth in our group and our leaders that losing someone so important like Coxy, but Demi stepped up and did an amazing role leading the girls.

"I told her she led with such grace and confidence, and it was amazing to see her step up and watch her be so strong in her leadership. It's definitely tough losing Coxy but it did allow for everyone to step up which is good."

There were plenty of standout performances for Swan Districts as the 2023 season unfolded, and one youngster who stood out to Baker was Indi West.

At just 16 years of age, she had a dazzling season in the WAFLW for Swans with her pace exciting as she showed just what a bright future she has.

"We had so many young girls come through which is so exciting and I feel like every year we get so many new girls come through. Indi West was one who definitely stood out, she was a part of the State 18s squad but she's from Bunbury," Baker said.

"She's so talented and so fast, and Dancey raves about how quick she is. She definitely just slotted into the side so easily and so well, and towards the end of the season she really grew in confidence which is so good to see."

Two other new faces to impress were Cassie McWilliam and Jasmine Ware as well. McWilliam joined Swans from the Northern Territory where she played with Nightcliff and she proved a livewire in the forward-line kicking nine goals from 12 matches.

Ware came to Swan Districts as well from Cairns and she proved herself an important and consistent member of the team, and Baker was delighted to call them both teammates.

"We also had Cassie and Jasmine that we recruited from Darwin and Queensland, and they both came down and also just slotted into the team so well," Baker said.

"Cassie is so good overhead and Jasmine has an amazing vertical leap as well so I really admired they both could just move over here but also fit into the side so well.

"They were so open and so easy to get along with so it was really good to have them and they contributed so much to the whole season that we had. They were just incredible so it was really good to have them."

Because Baker had a slow start to the season missing the opening six games with a knee injury to the same one she had reconstructed back in 2019, the 2021 fairest and best winner knows it was another frustrating season personally, but is hoping for a clear run now in 2024.

"I feel like every season is a bit rocky for me and I don’t think I've had a full season since I've started playing down at Swans," Baker said.

"I injured my knee again in the practice match before the season so I didn’t actually come back until Round 8 but at least I came back just when we started winning.

"It obviously wasn’t the smoothest season for me and then coming back it does take a while to get match fit when everyone's already a few games ahead of you. But I love playing so I wouldn’t have it any other way.

"I just love to keep making sure I'm improving and being more consistent on the field, but I'm just really grateful that I can get out there and get to be with the girls. That just makes playing so fun and so rewarding."