Noah Balta charged with assault

[MintOnLamb]

What happened to “innocent until proven guilty”?

[Andyy]

Well - then have a press conference and explain that? My point is transparency

It's a police matter and he hadn't pled guilty yet.

They were just being proactive.

They knew he would plead guilty because he's guilty.

[Go Richo 12]

What happened to “innocent until proven guilty”?

You do t have to prove guilt if someone pleads guilty.

[camboon]

I think , Balta admitted guilt , took the club  4 weeks and whatever the courts will impose on him as acceptance and admission of fault and to move on. I think the club doesn’t see any value in giving it any more oxygen and hopes Balta learns from his mistake and punishment . 

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Well - then have a press conference and explain that? My point is transparency

It's a police matter and he hadn't pled guilty yet.

They were just being proactive.

They knew he would plead guilty because he's guilty.

Then. Wait. Let’s get all facts on table. Whole thing then makes sense. Hopefully.
Even on this thread, people are speculating to justify the punishment. I can easily say “He threw a punch, missed, guy fell and cracked his head, went to hospital for 2 stitches.” So, on that basis - maybe 4 weeks probably not. He lands him flush, goes to hospital for a broken nose - yes 4 weeks. He kings him, bloke knocked out - in hospital and discharged with severe concussion. 4 weeks looks light on.

We
Don’t
Effing
Know

Until facts are transparent

It’s not that hard folks.

[Andyy]

Well - then have a press conference and explain that? My point is transparency

It's a police matter and he hadn't pled guilty yet.

They were just being proactive.

They knew he would plead guilty because he's guilty.

Then. Wait. Let’s get all facts on table. Whole thing then makes sense. Hopefully.
Even on this thread, people are speculating to justify the punishment. I can easily say “He threw a punch, missed, guy fell and cracked his head, went to hospital for 2 stitches.” So, on that basis - maybe 4 weeks probably not. He lands him flush, goes to hospital for a broken nose - yes 4 weeks. He kings him, bloke knocked out - in hospital and discharged with severe concussion. 4 weeks looks light on.

We
Don’t
Effing
Know

Until facts are transparent

It’s not that hard folks.

We don't need to effing know.

The club knows and acted.

Paying your membership doesn't entitle you to know everything the players and administration say to one another.

He's guilty and knew it and told them and they suspended him proactively.

Get the chip off your shoulder dude, the ranting about deserving to know etc seems a bit childish to me.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Guess what Andy? It’s an opinion. It’s a forum.
Some of us want the transparency. Just because I don’t agree with your view, doesn’t make it childish - it makes it different.
Ironic you call that out as being childish.

My view is pretty clear and very reasonable. Restrained even.

[Willy]

This is such a strange hill for you to die on HRT.

Getting mad at the club instead of the player who obviously stuffed up and plead guilty to assault.

[Andyy]

Guess what Andy? It’s an opinion. It’s a forum.
Some of us want the transparency. Just because I don’t agree with your view, doesn’t make it childish - it makes it different.
Ironic you call that out as being childish.

My view is pretty clear and very reasonable. Restrained even.

Yeah I guess we all have opinions but we share and debate them here and I'm finding your's really untenable. Reminds me of arguing with clawski at times.

Seems kind of petulant like a kid throwing their toys out of the cot? I know that's a jerk thing to say but you're literally alone on this and upset that the club didn't do what you wanted them to, while a bloke has pled guilty to assault with the courts and every single other person is either supportive or at least not really bothered by the club banning him after he probably told them he punched someone's lights out.

You don't actually seem to have any issues with anything else in the scenario except the club didn't do it how you wanted lol.

Meanwhile there's a court and legal process, entirely separate to the club, but yeah let's do a press conference before Noah has his plee entered?

On the other hand the club finds out he's punched a bloke and decided to sit on their hands for weeks or longer and will be criticised for that too by a likely warm majority.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

This is such a strange hill for you to die on HRT.

Getting mad at the club instead of the player who obviously stuffed up and plead guilty to assault.

Not mad. Happy to be on this hill. Not bothered by the opposing views. Get them, don’t agree. All good.
Might not be landing but that’s a ok. I am and have always advocated waiting until facts are public - in court if need be and then doing the punishing. The season doesn’t start for another 6 weeks. We always had time on our side.
Don’t always need a fast food solution to every problem…

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Meanwhile, Liam Ryan is free to play after we all saw footage of him in a fist fight. 
AFL again treating us like morons…

[WilliamPowell]

Meanwhile, Liam Ryan is free to play after we all saw footage of him in a fist fight. 
AFL again treating us like morons…

Just so I'm an clear here

Noah (behind closed doors) tells his club what happened, what he did and last week pleads guilty to assault.

Club acts on what Noah tells them, you know those pesky little things called facts and the Club are morons?

Not sure why you keep referring to the Ryan situation as being the same as Noah mess. Cops investigated Ryan have said no case to answer....

Cops charged Noah

Two very different cases don't you think?

[Willy]

Meanwhile, Liam Ryan is free to play after we all saw footage of him in a fist fight. 
AFL again treating us like morons…

It’s been reported that a woman was assaulted and he was standing up for her. WC probs got this context and let him off.

[Tiger Khosh]

HRT let it go man. Player assaulted someone, is charged by police, admitted fault to the club and the club suspended him. A couple of weeks later he pleads guilty in court.

No matter how much you keep saying it, the club did nothing wrong, the AFL didn’t mistreat us (in this case atleast) and the club does not owe you a public press conference or detailed report as to what exactly happened regardless of how much $$$ you spend on your membership.

[one-eyed]

Noah Balta will miss the first four games of the 2025 season after being handed a club-imposed suspension after pleading guilty to assault following an incident in the border town of Mulwala during the Christmas leave period.

Yze said the 25-year-old is remorseful for his behaviour and has tried to make amends at the football club since returning at the start of January.

"He knows he has let himself down and the footy club down with his actions. All I can ask is the way he has responded. That's what I am most proud of: his response has been exactly what we are after," he said.

"He has to win back the respect of his teammates. He feels like he has let me and his family down. He has done everything right since the minute we handed down that suspension. He has tried to help others, put his head down and that is the type of guy he is.

"We've got four or five young key-position players and he is outmarking them in a contest and then two minutes later he is telling them how and why that happened. He has some leadership capabilities and we are going to help him with that. He knows that he did something wrong and he is trying to do something about it."

Balta will also miss fixtures against Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Brisbane to start 2025.

Source: AFL website