[1] He made his A Grade debut in 2000 at age 16 for West Broken Hill, playing in their losing grand final side that year before joining the NSW/ACT Rams.

In round seven 2004, he earned an AFL Rising Star nomination when he kicked three goals against Melbourne.

In Round 4, 2008, Brent Staker was punched in the face by Sydney Swans full-forward Barry Hall.

Hall's punch was graded by the Match Review Panel as intentional, severe impact and high contact, and he was referred to the tribunal and suspended for seven games, one of the most severe punishments in the modern era by the AFL Tribunal.

[3] Video footage of the incident was shown on television as far abroad as Denmark and the United States on the ESPN network.