Noah Balta [merged]

[one-eyed]

How crime and punishment do, and don’t, work in the AFL world

Jake Niall
Chief football writer, The Age
May 11, 2025

Noah Balta received a lenient four-match ban for a serious assault that resulted in a conviction in court. The magistrate took matters out of AFL hands and, with a touch of Solomon’s wisdom, sentenced Balta to a curfew that will remove him from several more games.

If Richmond were unhappy with the double jeopardy (triple, if you count the $45,000 settlement to the victim), they would know that many working stiffs – and even club staff – would be sacked by their employer for such an offence, the perception of which shifted dramatically once the footage was aired.

GWS player Josh Fahey copped the same ban as Balta for his part in an utterly tasteless skit in which he was nude and played the part of ex-NRL star Jarryn Hayne with a blow-up doll (Hayne’s conviction for rape having been overturned on appeal).

Fahey’s skit warranted suspension, but on a moral scale, it wasn’t within cooee of Balta’s real-life assault. How did the AFL judge them in the same post code? The magistrate’s judgment embarrassed the AFL.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/how-crime-and-punishment-do-and-don-t-work-in-the-afl-world-20250510-p5ly36.html?js-chunk-not-found-refresh=true

[one-eyed]

Balta won't be able to play against Essendon (R18), Eagles (R19) and Gold Coast (R21) due to his curfew.

[Damo]

Balta won't be able to play against Essendon (R18), Eagles (R19) and Gold Coast (R21) due to his curfew.

Why can’t he play against Gold Coast?

[Wazza]

Im pretty sure his his curfew ended July 22! That would mean all games after round 20 are good to go?!

[WilliamPowell]

Going by the AFL website he's free to play the GC game

"Richmond's Noah Balta will be forced to miss the round 18 game against Essendon, which is scheduled for Saturday night, and the round 19 trip to Perth to face West Coast due to his court-enforced curfew. He is clear to play against Adelaide (Sunday, 3.20pm) in round 17 and Geelong (Saturday, 4.15pm) in round 18, with both matches to be played in Victoria."

From
https://www.afl.com.au/news/1320928/afl-announces-fixture-full-schedule-for-round-16-to-23-games-of-2025-home-and-away-season

[Tigeritis™©®]

Terrible game. 

[Damo]

How weak as pee the North fans booing him

Australia as a whole has gone to the pits

[Hard Roar Tiger]

He looked flat. Reckon this whole assault case has worn him down. Has noone to blame but himself but I agree Damo, we celebrate people who have done far worse than Noah Balta.

[Go Richo 12]

How weak as pee the North fans booing him

Australia as a whole has gone to the pits

Supporters of a club who produced Wayne Carey and had Taryn Thomas on their list. At least Noah belted a man.

[Damo]

How weak as pee the North fans booing him

Australia as a whole has gone to the pits

Supporters of a club who produced Wayne Carey and had Taryn Thomas on their list. At least Noah belted a man.

 

[Andyy]

How weak as pee the North fans booing him

Australia as a whole has gone to the pits

Supporters of a club who produced Wayne Carey and had Taryn Thomas on their list. At least Noah belted a man.

And he probably deserved it.

pee weak that we haven't seen the footage of the events beforehand.

[Francois Jackson]

spot on boys. Balta played a great game against the suns, and he was treated brilliantly by a coach who has a clue.

North are a joke, but if he thinks its isolated to north wait until we play the pies or bombers, which will be very funny in itself given their history.

all that aside he played rubbish today. Has he forgotten how to mark the ball? I feel he doesnt take enough grabs, but i could be wrong.

[Damo]

How weak as pee the North fans booing him

Australia as a whole has gone to the pits

Supporters of a club who produced Wayne Carey and had Taryn Thomas on their list. At least Noah belted a man.

And he probably deserved it.

pee weak that we haven't seen the footage of the events beforehand.

Yep
We will never know the full story

The bloke he hit is clearly a scumbag dog

Fancy being his age and spruiking hunting 18yo’s

Like I’ve said a few times, he probably did the world a favour smacking the prick

[Andyy]

How weak as pee the North fans booing him

Australia as a whole has gone to the pits

Supporters of a club who produced Wayne Carey and had Taryn Thomas on their list. At least Noah belted a man.

And he probably deserved it.

pee weak that we haven't seen the footage of the events beforehand.

Yep
We will never know the full story

The bloke he hit is clearly a scumbag dog

Fancy being his age and spruiking hunting 18yo’s

Like I’ve said a few times, he probably did the world a favour smacking the prick

The truth has a funny way of coming out with time.

[Diocletian]

How weak as pee the North fans booing him

Australia as a whole has gone to the pits

Supporters of a club who produced Wayne Carey and had Taryn Thomas on their list. At least Noah belted a man.

I can assure you they were made well aware of this at the game.