Former Kats player Craig Baker returns to Kattery as coach

Karratha Kats are hoping a new coach and consecutive grand final losses will light a fire in the belly for them to claim the North Pilbara Football League’s silverware this season. Former Kats player Craig Baker, who was part of five premierships with the club, has returned to the “Kattery” to help guide the club this season Baker returned to the North Pilbara Football League last year when the opportunity arose to coach the Karratha Falcons. Baker said it was like coming home after coaching the club’s cross-town rivals last year. “The obvious goal is to continue to improve and the next step is a premiership,” he said. “The last two years we’ve fallen short, quite comprehensively last year and then agonisingly short the year before.” Baker said the side had been around the grand final the past few years and it was just a matter of doing the little things better to take the next step. He said after coaching against his old side last year he had been able to see some areas in which they could improve. “This year you hope to plug those holes and build on the successes,” he said. Baker said a focus for him this pre-season was to build on the players’ camaraderie. “There’s enough motivation from last year's defeat, so its just to build that fitness and work as a complete unit,” he said. Karratha Kats president Shane Harris said he was hopeful the side would come out refreshed with a new coach under the helm. “We're pleased to have Craig back, he’s going to bring something a bit different to us and there’s a lot of enthusiasm,” he said. Harris said the two grand final losses in a row would light a fire under the players to improve this year.