{{Short description|Australia international rugby league footballer (born 1986)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2015}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Chelsea Baker |fullname = |image = |imagesize = |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1986|3|17}} |birth_place = Windsor, Queensland, Australia |height = {{convert|165|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|68|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|FB|WG|FE}} |club1 = Brisbane Broncos |year1start = 2018 |year1end = 19 |appearances1 = 7 |tries1 = 2 |goals1 = 18 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 44 |teamA = Queensland |yearAstart = 2015 |yearAend = 19 |appearancesA = 5 |triesA = 1 |goalsA = 2 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 8 |teamB = Women's All Stars |yearBstart = 2016 |yearBend = |appearancesB = 1 |triesB = 0 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 0 |teamC = Australia |yearCstart = 2016 |yearCend = 18 |appearancesC = 7 |triesC = 3 |goalsC = 10 |fieldgoalsC = 0 |pointsC = 32 |retired = |source = [https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/chelsea-baker/summary.html RLP] |updated = 13 October 2021 }}
'''Chelsea Baker''' (born 17 March 1986) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the Central Queensland Capras in the QRL Women's Premiership.
Primarily a {{rlp|fb}}, she played for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL Women's Premiership, winning a premiership with them in 2017, and was a Queensland and Australian representative.
==Background== Born in Windsor, Queensland, Baker began playing rugby league for the Gladstone Wallabys in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chelsea Baker |url=https://www.nrl.com/players/womens-state-of-origin/qld/chelsea-baker/ |website=National Rugby League |publisher=National Rugby League |accessdate=21 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2019/03/21/the-juggle-is-real-woman-rugby-league-star-dance-mum/|title=The juggle is real: woman, rugby league star, dance mum|date=21 March 2019|website=QRL}}</ref>
== Playing career ==
In 2015, Baker made her debut for Queensland, scoring a try in a 4–all draw with New South Wales.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2015/06/12/queensland-womens-team-for-interstate-challenge/|title=Queensland Women's team for Interstate Challenge|date=12 June 2015|website=NRL}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2015/07/01/womens-highlights-qld-v-nsw/|title=Women's Highlights: QLD v NSW|date=1 July 2015|website=QRL}}</ref> On 6 May 2016, she made her Test debut for Australia, starting on the wing in a 16–26 loss to New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/jillaroos-beaten-but-not-disgraced-against-powerfu/3020237/|title=Jillaroos beaten but not disgraced against powerful Ferns|date=9 May 2016|website=The Northern Star}}</ref>
On 2 December 2017, she started on the wing in Australia's 23–16 Women's World Cup final win over New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.qt.com.au/news/the-year-that-was-gladstone-sporting-highlights-of/3301058/|title=The Year That Was: Gladstone sporting highlights of 2017|date=31 December 2017|website=Queensland Times}}</ref> In 2018 and 2019, she represented Queensland Country at the NRL Women's National Championships.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2019/05/18/harvey-norman-queensland-country-team-announced/|title=Harvey Norman Queensland Country team announced|date=18 May 2019|website=QRL}}</ref>
In June 2018, Baker joined the Brisbane Broncos NRL Women's Premiership team and finished the season as the top point scorer in the competition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/09/09/chelsea-baker-stars-as-brisbane-broncos-dominate-st-george-illawarra-dragons/|title=Breayley and Baker spark Broncos' demolition of Dragons|date=9 September 2018|website=NRL}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2018/06/14/broncos-add-more-elite-talent-to-nrlw/|title=Broncos Add More Elite Talent to NRLW|publisher=Broncos.com.au|date=14 June 2018|accessdate=14 June 2018}}</ref> On 30 September 2018, she started at fullback in the Broncos' 34–12 Grand Final win over the Sydney Roosters. In 2019, she played all three regular season games for the Broncos but was dropped for their Grand Final win over the St George Illawarra Dragons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/10/07/broncos-coach-tips-sidelined-baker-to-bounce-back/|title=Broncos coach tips sidelined Baker to bounce back|date=7 October 2019|website=NRL}}</ref>
In 2020, Baker played for the Central Queensland Capras in the newly established QRL Women's Premiership.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/Unprecedented-times-2020-whitewashed-for-cq-capras/3983191/|title= Unprecedented times: 2020 whitewashed for CQ Capras|date=27 March 2020|website=The Northern Star}}</ref> In August 2020, Baker, a full-time mother to two children, withdrew from the 2020 NRL Women's Premiership season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2020/09/03/no-nrlw-but-still-plenty-of-football-ahead-to-for-family-focused-baker/|title=No NRLW, but still plenty of football ahead to for family-focused Baker|date=3 September 2020|website=QRL}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.physiocall.com.au/blog/chelsea-s-journey-to-the-rugby-league-world-cup|title=Chelsea's Journey to the Rugby League World Cup|website=www.physiocall.com.au|language=en|access-date=2017-12-09}}</ref>
Baker captained the Central Queensland Capras in the 2021 QRL Women's Premiership, primarily playing as a five-eighth. On Friday, November 12th, she announced her retirement from Rugby League.{{citation needed|date=August 2025}}
==Achievements and accolades== ===Team=== *'''2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup''': Australia – Winners *'''2018 NRLW Grand Final''': Brisbane Broncos – Winners
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.qrl.com.au/players/womens-state-of-origin/qld/chelsea-baker/ QRL profile]
{{Brisbane Broncos squad - 2018 NRLW premiers}} {{Australian 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup Squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Chelsea}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen Category:Australia women's national rugby league team players Category:Australian female rugby league players Category:Brisbane Broncos (NRLW) players Category:People from Gladstone, Queensland Category:Queensland Rugby League State of Origin Women players Category:Rugby league fullbacks Category:Rugby league players from Brisbane Category:Rugby league wingers Category:Sportswomen from Queensland Category:Women's All Stars players