Noah Balta [merged]

[one-eyed]

Training block looms with Tiger to miss next fortnight

Defender Noah Balta is set to miss the Tigers' next two games due to his court-enforced curfew

By Sarah Black
afl.com.au
19 May 2025

RICHMOND is set to be without Noah Balta for the next two games with the key defender's court-enforced curfew likely to prevent him from playing in rounds 11 and 12. 

Instead, he is likely to undergo a two-week training block while his Tigers teammates prepare to face Essendon at the MCG and Greater Western Sydney at Engie Stadium in successive weeks.

Balta must be at his home in Melbourne between 10pm and 6am each night until July after pleading guilty to assault earlier this year, and thus cannot be selected for Friday night's Dreamtime at the 'G clash against Essendon.

He is also expected to miss the following week's game against GWS, slated for 4.15pm AEST in Sydney. A tight turnaround with flights makes the logistics near-impossible for him to be selected, with the first viable post-match flight scheduled at 9.40pm AEST.

The Tigers then have a day match at the MCG against Sydney on June 7.

But complicating matters is the VFL fixturing, which is a chance to restrict Balta to training only for the next fortnight.

With the Swinburne Centre no longer hosting VFL games for the remainder of the season, the Tigers' twos have a home game in Frankston, starting at 7.10pm AEST against Essendon this Saturday night.

Theoretically, Balta may be able to play the VFL game the following weekend, a curtain-raiser against the Giants at Engie Stadium, but a 12.30pm start and a flight back to Melbourne (with the potential for delays) may make things difficult.

Speaking after Richmond's close loss to North Melbourne, coach Adem Yze was somewhat philosophical about the situation.

"We obviously know he's not available for Dreamtime, which is disappointing, but he'll do what he did last time, and that's train hard and get ready to play," Yze said.

"Whether he is playing VFL or training, his attitude and just being a good teammate – he's helping a lot of our younger defenders at training.

"He'll do that [and] if it's the next two games that he's missing, he'll go into a training block and be ready to play when he's next available."

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1325762/big-richmond-tiger-noah-balta-set-to-miss-next-fortnight-as-training-block-looms

[one-eyed]

A quirky one with Noah Balta who has his 10pm curfew in place. Tigers would like him to play a 12.30pm VFL curtain raiser in Sydney next week v GWS but is investigating logistics so there are multiple options in case of weather, cancellations so he doesn’t breach curfew. Should have plenty of time to get back on a 5pm plane.

https://x.com/RalphyHeraldSun/status/1926045112397680782

[one-eyed]

'Getting a bit cute': Tigers considered defender for risky AFL recall

Noah Balta is set to play in the VFL for the Tigers in Sydney on Saturday

By AAP
28 May 2025

RICHMOND contemplated using Noah Balta on limited minutes so he could make it back to Melbourne to comply with his court-ordered curfew.

But the Tigers ultimately decided against it, opting to play the defender in Richmond's VFL game against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday.

Pending final approval from the court system, Balta will fly to Sydney on Saturday, front up for the Tigers' reserves at Engie Stadium in a game starting at 12.30pm, before catching a flight back so he can be at home by 10pm.

Coach Adem Yze admitted the club toyed with the idea of subbing him out of the AFL game, which starts at 4.15pm, early so he could get back to Melbourne in time.

"We'd be getting a bit cute if we did that ... because there could be a risk that someone else gets injured and then we're putting others at risk," Yze said on Wednesday.

"We looked at the option of playing him in the seniors and getting him back on time, but it was just going to be too risky.

"We don't want to go and mess with that.

"We understand what he's going through (and) it's just around performance and if we can get a game into him, we'll do that.

"It was the only game we considered these things, it wasn't to disrespect what he's going through, it was just around performance and whether we could keep the momentum of him playing."

Since being sentenced on April 22 for assaulting a man in regional NSW last year, Balta has already been forced to miss two AFL matches.

The court ordered him to be at home from 10pm to 6am every night.

As well as the upcoming clash with the Giants, Balta will also miss a return match against Essendon, and a round 19 trip to play West Coast before the curfew is lifted on July 22.

"Jake Batchelor, our VFL coach, is pretty happy he's going to be available for this week," Yze said.

"If he's going in and out it's obviously hard with performance and the stress of going in and out and what it does to your body.

"But his wellbeing is really important as well, to go in and out of AFL footy is really tough, you see that with injuries.

"He'll travel (there) with the team, go help our younger defenders in the VFL and get another game into him."

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1331314/getting-a-bit-cute-richmond-tigers-considered-defender-noah-balta-for-risky-afl-recall

[one-eyed]

Darcy's importance was key throughout the game, with the big forward also taking eight marks to go with his 19 disposals and five goals.

Richmond left Noah Balta on him throughout the entirety of the match, as Ben Miller was doing a fine job on fellow Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton, with Yze saying Balta didn't play to his usual standards.

"He's a star. It's obviously great to see him back out there. Watching him last week, he obviously kept me up at night a few times," Yze said of Darcy.

"We left Noah on him for the entire game. Ben Miller did a great job on Aaron Naughton and Aaron is an A-grade forward. The decision around that, we'll just live by.

"Noah's had a tough season, he's gone in and out, but to play against these players he's got to get better at it. He'll know that he didn't play to his standard today.

"He's going to come up against very good forwards every week. At times, he'll play really well. Other times, those forwards will get the better of him and today they did."

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1348799/significant-concern-for-injured-western-bulldogs-midfielder-adam-treloar-richmond-tiger-adem-yze-backed-after-disappointing-showing

[one-eyed]

Four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis meanwhile noted Darcy’s ground level work was “as good as” his aerial production and thinks Balta gave the Dogs star too much freedom.

“The matchup with Noah Balta has been interesting. Balta has I think given him the luxuries of being able to go inside forward 50 and be really unopposed,” Lewis said.

“As a defender if you are handing over your direct opponent, you must make sure the person you are handing him over to understands the responsibility.

“On occasions Noah has let him run and jump at the ball and handed him over to someone not there.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/live-afl-2025-western-bulldogs-vs-richmond-tigers-round-15-live-scores-and-stats-updates-blog-start-time-aest-and-how-to-stream/news-story/b349baa4bd553347a9b28076b8e4043b

[Willy]

This guy is an embarrassment. Took a fat contract then repaid us by assaulting people and lazy efforts on the field. Drop him for Blight.

[mat073]

Looked confused and spooked by Darcy . Massive difference between his best and worse.

[Knighter]

This guy is an embarrassment. Took a fat contract then repaid us by assaulting people and lazy efforts on the field. Drop him for Blight.

Should have sacked him when we had the chance

[Diocletian]

He's an attacking weapon who doesn't have the tank or work ethic to play the roles he's best suited for and doesn't have the smarts to play forward. Would be a superstar if we still had unlimited interchanges.

[one-eyed]

Cornes: Balta contract will be Richmond's biggest regret

SEN
23 June 2025

Just eight months after Noah Balta signed a monster seven-year deal to stay with Richmond, Kane Cornes says it is likely to be one of the club’s biggest regrets.

Since putting pen to paper, Balta has been arrested, pleaded guilty to a single count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, appeared in court, narrowly avoided jail and been handed an 18-month community corrections order.

The sanction also included an alcohol ban and a 10pm-6am curfew for three months which has significantly impacted how often Richmond have been able to select him.

Balta did take to the field for Richmond in their 79-point annihilation at the hands of the Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium.

And Cornes could not believe what he was watching from the 25-year-old.

“There was one player yesterday at Marvel playing a different sport,” Cornes said on SEN Fireball.

“His name was Noah Balta. I'm not sure I've seen a more bizarre performance.

“Now, Sam Darcy is no easy task, and he's going to cause a lot of headaches for a lot of players for a long period of time, but I need to go back and watch the whole of the game behind the goals just to get try and wrap my head around what Noah Balta was doing.

“Never seen anything like it. His lack of knowledge on how to play on someone, when to press, when not to press, what he did with football in hand.

“I said a couple of weeks ago, I just think you put him on ice, because he seems to be a player that needs the continuity of playing and being in for one out for one, curfew. Am I traveling? Am I not? What am I doing at home? My training.

“It's really affected his form, and I couldn't believe what I was watching yesterday.

“I would have to assume that seven-year deal is one of the biggest regrets that Richmond would be facing right now.”

Darcy was crucial to the Bulldogs running riot against the tigers, booting five from 19 disposals and eight marks.

Admitting Balta didn’t rise to the occasion, Richmond coach Adem Yze said: “There were a few decision errors behind the ball that gave him way too many easy opportunities and then obviously if you give a guy like Sam, who’s a talented kid and in great form, those opportunities, then it’s going to be really hard to defend.

“To play against these players, he (Balta) has got to get better at it and he’ll know that he didn’t play to his standard today.

“If there’s pressure on the ball, well, our defenders will look good. If there isn’t...good luck defending them.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2025/06/22/cornes-balta-contract-will-be-richmonds-biggest-regret