It's interesting, I look at Balta vs Rance at the same point, and I see it this way.
Extremely similar athletically, but Balta has slight edge in height, speed, agility and leap.
The big differences physically are Rance's endurance, but Balta has a big weapon Rance never had in his long kicking.
Those two differences actually make them very different players. Rance could cover an entire backline, whereas Balta can give you burst running and can clear lines.
That said, there's no reason Balta couldn't play back, and do so to an elite level, he'd just be different.
All of this doesn't matter really though, because the biggest factor for success is always mental. One thing Rance had, which I believe is what made him the backline GOAT, was a selfless, fearless determination to win. And not just the game. He needed to win every tussle. Every bump. Every leap. He played like making it to the next contest was life or death. He sprinted with every muscular fibre in his form, whether or not the spoil was possible, and by doing so, often made it so.
That's where the similarities end.
If I say Balta hasn't got that, it's no slight on him. I've never seen any player have that like Rance.
I remember when Rance fractured his entire face early in his career. At that point, he couldn't look at a footy without turning it over. He spent more time falling over in contests than halving them, let alone winning. But that mad dash through the middle of the ground ending in a sickening clash was the essence of Alex. Pure, sheer desperation. The warrior came later, but the will was there from the start.
Balta is a different beast. We get carried away with the physical similarities. I'm excited to see the player he'll become. But it won't be Rance.
Extremely similar athletically, but Balta has slight edge in height, speed, agility and leap.
The big differences physically are Rance's endurance, but Balta has a big weapon Rance never had in his long kicking.
Those two differences actually make them very different players. Rance could cover an entire backline, whereas Balta can give you burst running and can clear lines.
That said, there's no reason Balta couldn't play back, and do so to an elite level, he'd just be different.
All of this doesn't matter really though, because the biggest factor for success is always mental. One thing Rance had, which I believe is what made him the backline GOAT, was a selfless, fearless determination to win. And not just the game. He needed to win every tussle. Every bump. Every leap. He played like making it to the next contest was life or death. He sprinted with every muscular fibre in his form, whether or not the spoil was possible, and by doing so, often made it so.
That's where the similarities end.
If I say Balta hasn't got that, it's no slight on him. I've never seen any player have that like Rance.
I remember when Rance fractured his entire face early in his career. At that point, he couldn't look at a footy without turning it over. He spent more time falling over in contests than halving them, let alone winning. But that mad dash through the middle of the ground ending in a sickening clash was the essence of Alex. Pure, sheer desperation. The warrior came later, but the will was there from the start.
Balta is a different beast. We get carried away with the physical similarities. I'm excited to see the player he'll become. But it won't be Rance.
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