Past Travis Baird (2005)

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Pick 15 in the 2004 Rookie Draft

 

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Wikipedia

193cm
89kgs

Travis Baird (born 25 July 1986) is an Australian rules football player who was drafted by the Western Bulldogs from the Brisbane Lions in the 2005 AFL Draft (3rd round, number 46 overall). He played 3 games with the Bulldogs, and played 2 games with Brisbane in 2005.

Baird was destined to spend the rest of 2006 on Brisbane's rookie list, and thus took the decision to enter the draft at the end of 2005. He played most of 2005 with the Suncoast Lions in the AFLQ as a midfielder, showing enough ability to be promoted to Brisbane's senior list in the second half of the season, where he played two senior games.

Following the 2007 AFL season Baird was delisted by the Western Bulldogs, after he was unable to secure a single senior game for the year.

Statistics:

AFL Tables
footywire
final siren

 

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2005 debuts

Travis Baird
Brisbane Lions
19 years, 13 days
Round 19

 

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Link ....

Something of a "smokey" pick in the 2004 rookie draft, Baird repaid the faith of the Lions' recruiting staff in 2005 with some outstanding performances in the AFLQ, senior elevation and a pair of AFL games.

The 19-year-old started the season playing in defence for the Suncoast Lions but it was during stints up forward and in the midfield that he really showed the talent that resulted in him being promoted to the senior list, when Martin Pike went down with a long-term injury. Baird was called up straight into the senior side for the Round 19 win over Hawthorn and kicked a great goal on the run from 45m with one of his early touches. He retained his spot in the team for the Round 20 trip to Sydney.

Hailing from the Victorian country town of Donald, Baird was considered highly enough by the Lions recruiting team for them to move away from the usual practice of rookie listing all Queenslanders. He had suffered an injury-interrupted 2004, which impacted on his chances in the National Draft, but can play in a number of positions, takes a strong mark, and is a well skilled on both sides of the body.

 

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Gamble pays off for Baird
Angus Morgan
12:00 AM Tue 10 Jan, 2006

The Brisbane Lions were keen to retain the 19 year-old, who managed two senior matches for the club last season after being elevated from the rookie list, but they couldn't manage to find a place on this year's senior list.

"They offered me a second year rookie spot and I told them that there had been a bit of interest from a few other clubs - the Bulldogs, Collingwood, a little bit from Sydney and a little bit from Port Adelaide as well - so I nominated for the draft," Baird said.

For a youngster looking to make a name for himself as a leading and marking forward, going back to square one at Brisbane - with the likes of Jonathan Brown, Daniel Bradshaw and Daniel Merrett already established - was never really an option.

 

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Baird's a Bulldog
MEGAN HUSTWAITE
30 Nov, 2005 11:08 AM

Baird, 19, told the Mail-Times from the Donald Cup yesterday he had already identified goals for next year."I'm stoked, I just can't describe how happy I am," he said.
"The Western Bulldogs are a good club on the rise and I'm aiming to play 10-15 games next season and help the team to some success in the future.
"I want to hold my spot in the side and become the most consistent footballer I can be."
Western Bulldogs media manager Scott Clayton said the club was delighted to pick up Baird, whom the club considers as a ready-made senior player.
"We have tracked Travis for 24 months and in that time he has grown five or six centimetres. His role can change as a marking player forward or back. He was a calculated selection for us at pick 46," he said.

 

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Golden Square recruits former AFL player
LUKE WEST
04 Nov, 2010 01:44 PM

The Bulldogs this week put the finishing touches to their recruitment of the highly-rated Travis Baird. Baird played two games with the Lions in 2005, against Hawthorn and Sydney, and three games for the Bulldogs, against Geelong, Melbourne and Richmond, in 2006.

“We’ve had discussions with Travis over the past couple of years, so it’s pleasing we’ve finally been able to get him over the line,’’ Golden Square coach Nick Carter said yesterday.

“Travis and Adam have been wanting to play together for a long time, so this gives them that opportunity, but not only that, it also obviously strengthens our list going into the 2011 season.

“The beauty of Travis is he can play a key position role either forward or back, but he can also play as an on-baller as well.

“So we will have the ability to throw the likes of Travis, James Bristow, Matt O’Toole and Lachlan O’Toole, who are all key position players, in different spots, so it gives us lots of flexibility.’’

 

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Discussion threads:

Collingwood Board

Whitten Oval Online Forum

 

[Mr Ripper]

Ahhhh, Trav. What coodabeen.

 

[irel]

Ahhhh, Trav. What coodabeen.

Travis is a perfect example of why the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Even to this day I am convinced had Travis stayed he would have had a far better AFL career than the one he had at the Bulldogs.

 

[Mr Ripper]

Travis is a perfect example of why the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Even to this day I am convinced had Travis stayed he would have had a far better AFL career than the one he had at the Bulldogs.

Absolutely no doubt in my mind.

Still, I'd have had the hump with the club, too, if the spot on the list I was promised went to the Football Manager's son.