Noah Balta - 100th game this week [merged]

[Andyy]

Broad is a medium these days IMO, as is Vlas, and shouldn't impact the talls we play.

I would go Balta, Blight, Broad, Brown, Vlas and Rioli in the backline.

Forward I would go Lynch if fit, Kosi for the moment, Ryan/Gray. Kosi ruck relief.

[the claw]

Broad is a medium these days IMO, as is Vlas, and shouldn't impact the talls we play.

I would go Balta, Blight, Broad, Brown, Vlas and Rioli in the backline.

Forward I would go Lynch if fit, Kosi for the moment, Ryan/Gray. Kosi ruck relief.

No Miller !!!. He's is one who needs to be settled having spent all his career being pulled around not doing much as a forward and only now starting to cement his position. I would have thought he is a lock for the rest of the year in defense.

Heres a list of our tall defenders Miller, Balta, Gibcus, Blight, Koschitzke, Young  and Bauer.

All im suggesting for the long term good, is for now play Balta forward, he is the only one who can play the role to a decent level atm.
Unlike Miller he is an established playerand has no worries about his spot at either end of the ground.   

Give his spot to a player like Blight or try Kosi there, we have him for two more years we need to try and get something from the situation.
This would not otherwise be the case if we play Balta.

Bauer is being developed as a tall defender as well but i don't think he is a genuine kpp. This kid can also play forward and im happy to classify him as a tall utility.

If we cant try these things at a time when we have a lot of injuries and there is no hope of finals then we will never find the time.
how often have we had kids on the list for a handfull of games over many years.

The glaring list weakness is kpf and when 32 yo Lynch is not there its a dilemma.Yes we have a few numbers but dig deep and the problems are there for all to see.

Gray is a project as is Fawcett, They are not ready and may never make it. Given where both are taken what are the odds.
There is Lefau who is already 26 only played a handful of games and is coming off another knee who knows if he will get back.
Of course there is kosi but im pretty sure most people have seen enough of him as a forward.
Same for Ryan who at this stage can play two roles but is not that good at either. Ruckman or bust id say.

Thats what we are looking at with no 32 year old Lynch

The one point here everyone ignores is Balta can play defense anytime, we all know what he can do. Atm though he is the best tall forward we have until Lynch gets back and we dont really have other options. We do have KPD options to at least try.

Don't care if we win or lose its not about that. Lynch comes back and we give him a good chop out by playing our next best kpf alongside him. Noah will at worst drag defenders away from Lynch. This allows us to play others like Blight.

 I also think we need to play Bauer he is strong in the air but he moves like a medium, he has shown good signs as a forward as well as a defender, there is nothing stopping us playing him as a third tall/med forward.
What is there to lose ? games !!!! we are losing them regardless. 

Given where we are at this year and the lack of games that most of our talls/kids have behind them i think it more prudent to play our young  players than chase after meaningless wins. Anything that allows to get games into younger blokes and have a good look at them at the level  is a good thing imo.

[Andyy]

Forgot Miller he's a definite starter haha

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Agree, it’s Miller time

[one-eyed]

Noah's 100th this weekend  .

         Games
2019    13
2020    17 ..... premiership
2021    14
2022    18
2023    23
2024    15*
----------------
Total   100*

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/N/Noah_Balta.html

[one-eyed]

Swingman Balta wants to take Tigers back to the top

Anna Harrington
The Age
July 27 2024

Noah Balta arrived at Punt Road when Richmond had barely finished the afterparty of their famous 2017 breakthrough premiership.

Three years later, he experienced that dizzying high himself.

Now, Balta, 24, wants to help lead Richmond out of the AFL doldrums and back to the top.

"I'm in a stage of my career now where it starts with a down (moment) and nobody really listens to your story," Balta told AAP ahead of his 100th game.

"Hopefully we come back and we make it back to the top and then everyone talks about how you were at the bottom.

"But this is the part of the story and the journey that's important to me and how I grow through it and develop through it.

"This 100 games is just me reflecting on how I've been going."

Balta's career has been defined by swapping between defence and attack on a needs basis.

Coach Adem Yze, who the defender has built a close relationship with, often jokes he'd like two Baltas.

"I just see it as an opportunity," Balta said.

"Sometimes when you play one position for a long time, you can get into just going through the motions a little bit.

"Switching it up keeps me honest."

The Tigers can strike another hammer blow to Collingwood's flailing premiership defence with a victory at the MCG on Sunday.

Balta isn't thinking beyond what it would mean to Richmond.

"It's always nice to get a win and it doesn't matter who it's against, really, when you're in our position at the moment," he said.

"I feel like when you're on top, you take those little wins for granted.

"But I was speaking to Dustin (Martin) the other day and he just spoke about 'remember this feeling now' because when he first came to the club, this is how it was.

"We have a lot of young boys that were in his exact same position. So for them to now grow and see this part of us will make the highs so much more worth it and better."

Balta is out of contract at the end of 2025, but doesn't see himself anywhere else.

"I like to think of myself as a loyal guy," he said.

"I've won one (premiership) where I was the younger fella and I had Dylan Grimes and Dave Astbury pushing me.

"Now I'm that guy to step up and teach those younger boys what they taught me.

"Dylan Grimes, David Astbury and Alex Rance, what they did for me - it's almost like they put their game aside to make sure that I was growing as a player and that's when they played their best footy as well.

"I'm just starting to understand that now."

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8709634/swingman-balta-wants-to-take-tigers-back-to-the-top/